The Agreement
by Dreary Days
Summary: Hermione Granger and Draco Malfoy have made a binding agreement. Mostly for Malfoy's pathetic benefits, ...He's a mummy's boy, you see... Malfoy has to provide Hermione with all her needs and keep her happy by doing whatever she wants. R
1. The Agreement

**The Agreement**

_Chapter 1_

"Hey, Mudblood!"

Hermione Granger was walking down the corridor on her way to dinner when she heard him calling. She should have ignored it and gone on with Harry and Ron, but no. How she regrets it now. "Go ahead, you two." She waved the hungry boys away.

She stopped and turned around. "Malfoy, how many times do I have to tell you not to call-" The blonde walked up to her. A bag of clinking coins was in his hand. He rolled his eyes.

"Never mind that, Granger. I'm strictly speaking business." He lifted the hand that held the money. She looked at him suspiciously.

"Business? Malfoy, I don't have time to stand hear and listen to your reckless ranting." Hermione shifted her school bag, which was heavy with books.

"I'm serious." He implied glaring at her. "As you know, the Ministry is coming to the school for inspections and the like. After my dad... Well, my mum is on the board and she's coming. There's only one problem."

As far as this was going, it wasn't interesting Hermione. "It is...?"

"She thinks I have a girlfriend."

"So?"

"Hello, Mudblood, are you blind? The only girl that hangs around me is Pansy." Malfoy snarled, dropping his bag of money.

"I don't see where this is going," She said ignoring his name calling, "and what's the money for?" She pointed to the bag. The bag itself was clearly expensive. It was a dark blue silk lined with silver thread.

"It's for you, of course." He grinned. Hermione just snorted. Malfoy was willing to give her money? Maybe he'd let her keep the bag too.

"Okay. Here's what I need you to do." He told her his plan, which he thought was brilliant.

"You've got to be joking." Hermione gasped. "There's no way I'm agreeing to that."

_

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_

_A/n: Lala. I know it was short. I didn't feel like typing... Anyways, I don't know where I got the idea for this FF, but I'm a sucker for love. Seriously. I love, love. I'm such a freak. (:_

_Also, please make it one of your options to review. I'd be most pleased. No flaming, no criticism. If you're unhappy with my fic, don't read it. _


	2. Plans and Slave Boys

The Agreement

_Chapter 2_

Malfoy's faced turned stony. "Granger, I'm offering you money. 1000 galleons." He snapped. He wanted to wring her neck, but then his plan would be ruined.

She did not seem intimidated by his stare. "Why should I do you a favor if you wouldn't do one for me?" Malfoy seemed to think for a moment.

"Because you're a lowly piece of filth." He prompted. Hermione turned to go. "I was kidding, Granger. Come on." He said dryly. Malfoy sighed. This wasn't going to be easy.

"Well, you have a raw sense of humor, then." She turned to glare at him over her shoulder. Then she turned to face him completely.

"I'll carry your bag up to the Great Hall. I know it's heavy." Hermione looked at him sourly as she hitched her bag up.

"Is that _it?_" She asked selfishly.

"So what if it is?" Malfoy began to roll his eyes, but he glanced at the Gryffindor's face. "Okay, fine. I'll...uh, do your homework." He tried again.

"As if I'd let you do my homework. Ha." Why was she even sticking around? She didn't want to help him. All that much.

"Woman, don't be all picky and choosy with me. I haven't the time."

Hermione was about to object when an idea sprung to her head. "How about you are my servant until this deal is "done"?"

"Alright." The blonde answered not even hearing what she'd said. "Wait, what!" "No! I'm not going to be your slave. You're beneath _me._ You should be cleaning my shoes. Picking lint from my robes!" He raved on.

"Fine. No deal then." She turned to go, but Malfoy grabbed her shoulder.

"No! Just sign the contract, and you're free to go." He pulled some wrinkled papers from his pocket along with a quill. He quickly signed his name on a dotted line in fancy writing. "Hurry up." He commanded shoving the papers under her nose.

Her eyes ran from side to side down the page. She flipped through each one and read thoroughly. She handed it back to him without signing. "Public displays of affection? Are you mad?" She shook her head. "You must be. This is bull."

"Granger! What are you? A prude of some sort? Or...are you really a queer?" He peered at her quizzically.

"Stop smirking at me! Of course I'm not a prude! This is just...disgusting! I'm not doing it." She huffed. Though, Malfoy as her servant was a tasty and satisfying idea. "Give it here." She said at last. She snatched the packet and signed underneath his name.

"Good. Now, slave. Is it all right if I call you that? Well of course it is. You're my servant boy. Take my bag and carry it." She dropped her bag at his feet, then turned around and walked away from him.

He sighed. Why Granger? Why? He heaved a groan as he picked up her bag. It certainly was heavy. Not that it surprised him, being the bookworm she was. He trudged up to the Great Hall, then over to the Gryffindor table. He received many embarrassing stares throughout the hall. "Here, you stupid mudblood." Before she could answer he stalked over to the Slytherin table where he sat down next to Blaise

Zabini.

"Since when do you-"

Malfoy held up to hands. "Don't even ask." Blaise searched Malfoy's face.

"Hermione, why was Malfoy carrying your bag?" Ron asked suspiciously.

"Why, Hermione?" Ginny chirped.

"Well, it's sort of a secret. I'll tell you this though. As part of a legal pact, Malfoy has to serve me." She grinned happily as she spooned mashed potatoes onto her plate.

"It must be bad, then." Harry said after a moment of silence.

"It is." She agreed.

Pansy curled up next to Draco. "Why were you carrying her disgusting things, Draco?" She glared at him. He glared back.

"Since when was it your business what my business is?" He asked confusing her.

"Well, it's embarrassing. Mudbloods live to serve us." She said sulkily.

"Shut up, Pansy." Malfoy said as he chewed. He felt eyes on him. He looked up and saw the Mudblood staring at him with loath in her eyes. He didn't feel up for a contest, so he glanced down at his plate.

"Are you going to tell me?" Blaise asked, annoyed. He'd seen Granger's look too. Malfoy stared at him. He seemed to be thinking it over.

"I'll tell you later." He lied. That was all he said after that for the entire meal. After eating, he passed dessert and left to go back up to his and Granger's common room.

Malfoy sat in front of the fire, staring into it. He needed to write out his plan. So far, all he had was this:

_Fine a suitable student in the seventh year. _He crossed that out.

_Offer something in return. Even if you are a Malfoy. _Slavery.

_Lay out rules. You're a Malfoy. You make them. _

_Make sure to make Potty and Weasel mad. Just for the fun of it. _

_Don't. Get. Caught. _

He couldn't really picture Granger as suitable, but she was smart. She was sensible. She had brains. Unlike Pansy. He saw her often enough, seeing as they were Heads. Now, to get Granger to pretend to be his girlfriend in front of other students, teachers, and his mum. It was perfect. With a bit more planning, he was sure nothing could go wrong.

Just then, Granger came strolling in, with the weasel's little sister following behind. He groaned. The red headed girl was the most annoying thing besides Pansy.

"Oh, you're here." Granger said sulkily. The Slytherin ignored her and continued writing. She ran up the stairs to her room with a confused Ginny struggling to keep up.

"So, what is it?" Ginny asked excitably. Hermione gave her a look.

"It's nothing to get all worked up about." Hermione said sitting on her bed. Ginny plopped down next to her and waited.

"Well, you see...Malfoy and I signed a contract. Ginny's eyes widened. "About what?" She breathed.

"You know how the Ministry's school board is coming for inspection in two weeks? Well, Narcissa Malfoy, she'll be here. Do you remember her from the Cup?" Hermione asked playing with her hands in her lap. Ginny nodded.

"Malfoy, Merlin knows why, explained to her that he had a girlfriend. He said his mother wants him to have one. For his own good or something." Ginny snorted.

"Malfoy is far from good." She interrupted. "Oh, go on." She said noticing Hermione's scowl.

"So, he wants me. Me of all people to pose as his...beau." She said disgusted.

"You say that as if it's a bad thing, Granger." Came a cold drawl from the door. Hermione groaned.

"Do you know what privacy is?" scoffed Ginny.

"It is a bad thing!" Hermione screeched standing up.

"Are you PMSing?" Malfoy cracked, smirking.

"NO!" She screamed making Ginny wince.

"Fine, I was just leaving." He shut the door with a snap. Hermione immediately calmed down.

"Sit." Ginny said. Hermione sat.

"Where were you?"

"I have to pretend to be his girlfriend." Hermione shuddered openly.

"What do you get in return?" Her friend asked sympathetically.

"As I've told you, he has to be my servant." Hermione grinned proudly for having thought up something like that. Ginny gasped.

"You're too much, Hermione. Brilliant!"

Malfoy, whom was listening outside the door rolled his eyes and went back down into the common room. Weasleys were pathetic.

"So can I tell Harry and Ron?" queried Ginny. Hermione shook her head.

"How do you think they'd take it? Especially Ron?"

"You're right. I promise to keep it secret."

"You'd better, Ginny.

"Well, I'd best be going." Ginny said standing up.

"Okay, see you tomorrow morning." Ginny skipped from the room. This was too much! She couldn't take it. Who could she tell?

On her way down to the common room she passed Malfoy going up the stairs. She squeaked and hurriedly tripped down the stairs. Pathetic, pathetic, pathetic.

Malfoy burst into the Gryffindor's room for the second time that evening. "What now?" He heard her said.

"I must lay down a few rules." He smirked and leaned against the frame of the door.

"First, go turn on the shower. Make sure the water is warm. Then we'll talk about your little laws." She commanded. Malfoy had no choice but to obey. Not before curtsying first. "Yes my lady." He mocked.

A few moments later, she heard the shower being turned on. He came back, seemingly a bit more pissed than before. Hermione brightened up. "Okay. What is so important that you had to come bothering me twice?"

"A few ground rules. First off, I will absolutely not touch you in any way while I serve you." Hermione opened her mouth to speak.

"That totally goes across your little displays of affection." She argued.

"Oh, well. This is while I'm being your slave. I don't want to touch you more than I should have to." Malfoy dictated in a quick manner. Hermione huffed. "Second. You are to be polite to my mother. She's really not a bad person. Hence whatever it is you think of her." Hermione agreed.

"Third, you go with whatever happens. Even in public. He gazed across the room into her dark brown eyes. "I think that's it." "For now." He added as an after thought.

"I don't like your stupid rules, but fine. I agree. Now, leave." She stressed. "I have homework to do."

"I have homework to do." Malfoy copied backing out of the room. "Nighty night."

Hermione rolled her eyes and fell back onto her bed, thinking of the agreement.

Ginny walked down to the library to study. It was going to be a blast to watch Hermione pretend to be the Slytherin's girlfriend. She snickered to herself as she walked in.

"Good evening." Madam Pince said nodding Ginny's way. Ginny waved back.

She made her way to the back of the library. Now, where to find what she was looking for? She rounded the aisles looking for what she needed. As she walked down an aisle about curses, she bumped into something. Or someone. "Oh, I'm dreadfully sorry." She said from the floor.

"No worries." A cheerful voice said. A hand reached down to help her. She gratefully took it and stood up.

"Oh." She sucked in her breath. Blaise Zabini looked down at her. He looked worried.

"Are you okay?" He asked.

"Oh, just, just fine." She seemed flustered. Blaise looked at her carefully.

"Okay, then. If you'll excuse me. Good evening."

"Goodnight." Ginny said falling against a bookshelf. The Slytherin made her insides curl.

She knew she couldn't concentrate, so she went up to the Gryffindor common room, spoke to none, and then excused herself to bed.

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_A/n: There's a bit more...It's five in the morning, so kindly excuse any mistakes. Thank you all for reviewing. This may not be the best of chapters, so I'll make it my duty to revise it. Soon. Good day to all. _

_Also, please make it one of your options to review. I'd be most pleased. No flaming, no criticism. If you're unhappy with my fic, don't read it. _


	3. Plastic Surgery

The Agreement

_Chapter 3_

Draco Malfoy woke up to a loud hoot in his ear. His eyes shot open and looked into the black eyes of his mother's owl. "Fausta!" Malfoy exclaimed. The black eagle owl hooted again as she stuck out her right leg. "So mother's sent something has she?" He quickly untied the letter from her talon ad ripped the envelope open. He unrolled the parchment and read.

_Dearest Draco, _

_How I've missed you so. I know you've only started term a month or so ago, but the Manor is quiet without you. I'm counting down the days until I'll be able to see you again. How are your grades? Are you doing well in school? How is your girlfriend? I want to hear more about her..._

The blonde's stomach did a tumble of some sort. He gulped.

_...Anyhow, I was thinking about you last night. I know how much you adore chocolate chip cookies, so I made a batch as soon as I woke up this morning. Enjoy them. I'll see you soon, darling. _

_Love, _

_Mum_

He smiled at the thought of his mother thinking of him. Next to him he noticed a large package wrapped in shiny black paper. _My cookies._ He thought hungrily. He hurriedly unwrapped the tin and pried it open. Malfoy reached in and pulled out a cookie that was still slightly warm. He ate two more; he reached for a fourth, but then decided to save the rest for later.

Seeing as he was already awake, he decided to get up and have an early breakfast. He peered at the clock that stood on the nightstand next to his bedside. It was only quarter to seven. Before Malfoy could swing his legs out of bed, he heard Granger calling him.

"Malfoy!" He heard again. Grumbling, he made his way down the hall to her room and threw the door open.

"Malf...Oh. Finally. Did you not hear me calling you? I must have called four times. I should really get a bell-"

"What is it you want?" He snapped angrily.

"Can you get my slippers? They're over there by that window." Hermione pointed. Malfoy followed her finger with his eyes.

"Granger, you bloody made me get out of bed so that you didn't have to walk three bloody feet?" He gave her a scornful glare, not forgetting he had been getting up when she had called him.

"Yes, you're right on top this morning, aren't you?" She returned his glare with an icy smile.

He cracked the knuckles in his fingers but he walked over to retrieve her slippers all the same. "This is disgusting." He said just loud enough for Hermione to hear.

"Is it?" She asked watching him pick them up by the tips of his fingers. "I'm quite fond of them. Both Harry and Ron and I used to share them all the time." Malfoy froze in terror and threw them at her.

"I'm going to take a shower. I nice, long, _cleansing_ shower." He said leaving the room. Hermione jumped out of her bed.

"Don't you want to try them on?" She asked evilly. His blonde head shook frantically. With that, he ran down the hall and slammed the bathroom door shut. Hermione heard the lock click. She shook her head then closed her door shut quietly.

It was half past eight by the time he was eating breakfast. He was already exhausted although he'd only woken up and hour before. Granger had made him do every possible chore you could do in the morning.

Malfoy made her bed—twice. He'd done it the "wrong" way the first time. "The sheets don't fold to the end of the bed. They go up, Malfoy, really. What, have you never made a bed before?" He remembered her taunting tones.

Who was she to think he had made a bed before in his life? Of course he hadn't. Is it not obvious? That's why his father employed house elves. Common sense is all that's needed.

Then she had made him brush her cat's long fur. "Look, his fur's just all over the place!" She had said. The cat was gruesome looking. Its face was smashed flat, literally. He weighed, say fifty pounds. Where Granger found him, Malfoy didn't know, but they were perfect for each other.

"Don't worry kitty," Malfoy had said trying to reassure the cat, "Granger has the same kind of hair, just a lot bushier." The ginger cat had bit him leaving quite a swollen finger.

Hermione _also_ made him use a lint roller to remove the lint from her black robes. How he'd hated that one the most. Her robes smelled of old musty books. It was almost too lethal of a fume to breathe. In a dramatic way.

To piss him off even more, she had had the nerve to tell him to _hurry up_. Which was just the wrong thing to say, because he reacted by moving slower.

"Good morning, Draco." Blaise Zabini said sitting down next to him. Malfoy, whom had been thinking of his nightmare of a morning, jumped. Blaise however, didn't notice.

"You know that Weasley girl? Weasel's sister? I ran into her last night." Blaise said not giving his friend a chance to answer. He kept talking. "Quite the jumpy one, she is. She acted very odd. Like she was scared of me or something." Blaise now looked at him expectantly, as to say _you can talk now. _

"Weasel's sister...that little third year girl?" Malfoy asked not really caring.

"Sixth year." Blaise corrected. "I've talked to her before too. She was pretty polite, except for the fact she kept stumbling over her words."

"She probably fancies you, Blaise." Malfoy said pouring himself pumpkin juice into a goblet.

"Really, you think?" Blaise seemed to dwell on the thought for a moment, until speaking again. "Well, how's good old Granger been?"

"Good? Granger?" Malfoy asked. "Quite a mudblood she is."

"I was being serious, you know." Blaise said.

"As was I. I've been waiting on her hand and foot." Malfoy suddenly remember the disgusting slippers. "Ugh. It's regurgitating, what I have to go through."

"What the devil are you talking about?"

"I'm talking about doing every little thing Granger tells me to do."

"Why are you doing that? I thought you hated Granger?"

"I do, but I needed to bribe her into doing me a favor. Now I wish I'd just given her the money." Malfoy explained to Blaise what he had to do for her, and what she had to do for him.

By the time Malfoy had finished his story, Blaise was having a laughing fit. "Oh that's hilarious, Malfoy. You almost had me believing you. When'd you become so hilarious?" Blaise laughed, attracting looks from the nearby Ravenclaw table.

"What? I'm being serious. That's the agreement." Blaise, apparently thinking that was funny, just laughed harder. "I mean it Blaise stop laughing. Why do you think I had to carry her wretched bag to the table last night?"

Blaise stopped laughing and wiped the tears from his eyes. "You mean, you weren't joking?" He asked.

Malfoy sighed tiredly. "No." He threw up his hands. "Why do I even bother?"

"Bother doing what?" Pansy asked sitting down next to him. Malfoy took a drink from his goblet.

"Nothing." He said a bit too loudly.

"What's wrong with him?" Harry said hearing Malfoy's outburst.

Ron shrugged. "Who knows? Or cares? He's always trying to attract attention."

"Yeah, probably." Harry agreed. Hermione, whom was sitting opposite the two boys turned around and watched Malfoy speak harshly to Pansy Parkinson.

"He's in a bad mood." She explained matter-of-factly, turning around to face them again. "I made him do some work this morning."

"Like what?" Ginny asked eagerly, sitting down on Hermione's right.

"I hope you made him suffer." Ron added.

"Oh, I did. I had him make my bed twice, brush Crookshanks for a good ten minutes, and then he brushed the lint off my robes."

"You're brilliant Hermione. Really." Harry said laughing.

"Why'd he have to make your bed twice?" Neville asked leaning over Ginny to look at Hermione.

"Oh, I didn't like the way he did it the first time. Plus, it looked like he was struggling to do it. He had me thinking he'd never made a bed in his life."

"He probably hasn't." mumbled Ron. The others noticed a twinge of jealousy. "He has all those house elves to do it at his manor, most likely."

"Ron, don't be jealous. There's nothing right about having a poor, little house elf do everything for you." Then she started sharing her latest S.P.E.W ideas with Ginny and Neville.

"Wanna bet?" Ron muttered to Harry,

Harry shrugged it off. "Don't worry about it mate."

Hermione stood up. "I'm going to go study a little extra in the library. See you lot later." She bid them goodbye. She walked over to the doors and waved Malfoy over. He clenched up his fists and hunched his shoulders when he noticed her calling him over. Hermione handed him her heavy bag and soon after flounced from the hall.

"And she talks about house elves. How hypocritical." Ron sighed.

"Go do your thing." Blaise said in a teasing voice, noticing Granger. Malfoy had not even finished eating, but he abandoned his food and stalked over to Granger. Pansy watched in interest.

"Care to explain that Blaise?" She chuckled.

Blaise looked up and gazed at her thoughtfully. "Nope."

Malfoy was about to give her a piece of his mind, but she simply skipped away. Malfoy struggled to hurry with one bag on each of his shoulders.

"Granger, you could have the decency to wait up." He huffed.

She ignored him, but slowed down. "I don't see why you can't carry your own bloody bag. Just trying to make me suffer, huh? Well you just wait until it's my turn." He smirked. He couldn't wait to destroy her.

Just the reaction he wanted. She stopped and turned around. "Oh, do shut up, Malfoy. I could really care less what you do to me while your mother is here." She lied.

"Oh really? Even a bit of a snogfest won't shock you?" He made a smacking noise with his lips, but in reality, he was making himself sick. Hermione herself looked just about ready to throw up.

"Just keep walking Malfoy."

"Where are we going?" He asked in a bored tone. He had and itch on his nose, but he couldn't scratch it because he was busy trying to stay balanced while carrying his and Hermione's bags.

"Granger, do you mind stopping, my nose itches. Granger!" Malfoy shouted. She kept going.

"Granger, get back here, or the deal is off. I don't think it'll be so bad telling my mother I got rid of my girlfriend. I'd much rather than do this." Hermione stopped and turned around. She knew he didn't mean that but she rubbed his nose with the tip of her wand.

"Much more like it." He smirked, stepping on her foot. "Oops, an accident." He shrugged.

Before he knew what was happening, Hermione had shot her wand back up to his nostrils. She muttered a few words, then stepped back proudly to watch the curse run its course.

"Granger! What'd you do?" Malfoy asked feeling an odd sensation coming from above his lips. Hermione tore her bag off his shoulder, then continued down the corridor at an extremely hurried pace.

"Granger!" He yelled after her retreating back, but she seemed not to notice. He grabbed his nose and felt it inflating. _Oh Merlin._ He thought. It's not like this was the beginning of a bad day.

_I'm going to get her. _Malfoy thought running in the same direction the Gryffindor had just gone. He turned the corner and kept running. When he came to a fork, he chose to turn right knowing the dungeons were this way. He continued down two flights of stairs.

"Granger, where are you? I know you're around here somewhere!" He paced back in forth in front of the door to the potions classroom. "Come out and fix my nose!" He poked his head into the classroom, but he didn't see her. He heard giggling a little ways from where he was.

Thoroughly disgruntled, he closed the door with a sharp snap. He surveyed the corridor with his eyes. There weren't many places to hide. He looked behind each suit of armor in the corridor. "You can't hide long!" He yelled. The bell had just rang, which meant students were to go to class.

Tired of waiting outside of the classroom, Malfoy returned to where he had dropped his bag and picked it up. He opened the door to the classroom so violently, it crashed into the wall. He was satisfied watching the glass fall from its frame.

He strutted into the classroom and but his books down on a desk in the back. Then he took his wand out and tried to reduce the size of his nose to normal. _This is mortifying._ He thought, realizing that nothing had changed. He felt nearly helpless.

_Well, I can't go to the infirmary. There's a chance I'll be spotted with this bloody beak. I'll kill Granger. I'll kill her._

"Draco, what the devil happened to your nose!" Pansy said rushing over to him. She had just walked into the class and noticed her friend.

"What do you think Pansy? That bookworm of a mudblood-"

"Wait! Don't touch it. I know how to fix it."

Before he could object, he saw a flash of golden light before his eyes. He waved his arms around in a mad manner. "I've gone blind! Pansy!" He got up, knocking his chair backwards onto the floor.

He opened his eyes, and saw Pansy smirking with her arms crossed. "Don't be silly Draco." A few Gryffindors were now filing into the room. Dean Thomas and Seamus Finnigan quickly caught sight of Malfoy's nose.

"Well, I never thought this day would come," Seamus was saying to Dean loudly, "Malfoy visited a plastic surgeon...for the worst." They burst out laugh, which made Malfoy red with anger.

"Pansy! What did you do?" He turned to look at Pansy, but she was on the other side of the room hiding in the middle of her group of friends.

_Oh great, now Potter and Weasley have to walk in._ He didn't notice Hermione sneak in next to them.

"What's a plastic surgeon?" Neville asked curiously.

Seamus was leaning over laughing and slapping his knees. "A plastic surgeon is a doctor that performs surgery on your body, to make it better to your perfection. Enlarges things," Seamus explained looking at Parvati's chest, "Reduces things..."

Parvati covered her front up with her arms. "They're not fake, Seamus! I don't even know what a plastic sergeant is."

Malfoy touched his nose. "I did not go see one of them! It was Granger!" He shouted. He had the whole class' attention. His Slytherin peers stood by trying not to laugh at him, while the Gryffindors laughed freely.

"Who are you trying to impress Malfoy?" Harry asked smiling maliciously.

"Or _what _are you trying to impress?" Ron put in. "A toucan?" Fresh rounds of giggles were heard throughout the classroom, this time the Slytherins laughed along with the Gryffindors. Malfoy sent them a glare that shut them up.

"I've had it." He said loudly. Forgetting his books, he stomped towards the door, but ran into Snape. He jumped back.

"Professor!"

Serverus Snape jumped back also. "Malfoy, what is the meaning of this?" He stared pointedly at Malfoy's large nose.

"It was Granger. We were talking outside the Great Hall, and then without a warning, she brings her stupid wand to my face, and then runs!"

The potions master pushed Malfoy gently aside and stepped into the room. "Is this true, Ms. Granger?" He asked in a dangerous tone. Malfoy realized she was sitting in the classroom.

"You!" He yelled walking toward her. "I'm going to kill you!" He made to walk towards her, but Snape had grabbed his robes.

"Granger, out in the hall. Malfoy, you too." Snape said still holding Malfoy's robes. Timidly, Hermione walked slowly up to the front of the room. "Faster, girl!" Snape snarled. Hermione sped up.

"Out." He pointed to the open door. When the three were all outside, he shut the door. Not realizing that the glass had fallen from the door, the whole class was able to hear the conversation.

"Is it true, Ms. Granger? You cursed Malfoy and gave him this..." He struggled to find the right word. Malfoy glared at him. "Nose?" offered Malfoy.

Hermione felt extremely small, but she spook with dignity. Sort of. "I, uh. No, well, yes. He stepped on my foot!"

"Come on, Hermione." Ron said cheering quietly from inside the classroom. Harry shook his head. He knew she wasn't getting out of this one easily.

"He stepped on your foot?" Snape repeatedly. "Why would Mr. Malfoy do that?"

"She was getting on my nerves, professor." Malfoy barked. He was getting annoyed at being ignored.

"Don't use that tone with me, boy."

"That gives you no reason to use your wand. If it was a problem, you could have come to me and settled it." Proclaimed Snape.

Malfoy, meanwhile, was muttering to himself.

"Do you have something to say?" Snape asked turning on the Slytherin.

"No." Malfoy replied nastily.

"Then the problem is solved. Granger, you have detention with me tomorrow night. Malfoy, you've ashamed me. 10 points from Slytherin."

"How come he doesn't get a detention?" Hermione squeaked, trying her luck.

"Ms. Granger, as far as I'm concerned he stepped on your foot. You, on the other hand, made a more violent move. You could have hurt him... and who did that!" Snape finished his last sentence with a roar.

He pointed to the glass that was lying all over the floor. He swept back into the classroom, banging the door against the wall. Malfoy sighed. He knew it wouldn't have been long before his greasy haired professor noticed.

"Which one of you is responsible for this?" He hissed quietly.

"Potter." Malfoy said at once coming into the room.

Snape rounded on Harry. "You? Potter? Detention and 30 points from your house!"

"Professor," Hermione exclaimed shoving Malfoy out of the way with some difficulty, "it was Malfoy. I saw him. He swung the door back so hard it hit the wall. He was glad he did it, too!" Hermione tattled.

"I did not!" Malfoy insisted, knowing very well that Snape knew who was telling the truth.

"Potter, my apologies." Harry's mouth dropped open, not believing what he'd just heard. There was a sudden murmur from the other students.

"Quiet!" Snape shouted succeeding in hiding his embarrassment.

"Ms. Granger, mind your own business." Snape sneered, turning to look at her.

"Malfoy, you're in detention with Ms. Granger tomorrow night, _and_ I'm taking off another 50 points from Slytherin."

Malfoy looked defeated. He took a seat next to Goyle, and held his head in his hands.

The Slytherins groaned in unison. They had just lost 60 points from their house points from their own Head of House. "Shall I make it more?" Snape asked. "Get to work. The instructions are on the board." Writing appeared on the blackboard at his words.

Snape waved his wand lazily and repaired the door so that the glass looked good as new. After, he strode up to his desk and sat behind it, from where he eyed the class critically. "Thank your classmates; you've lost fifteen minutes of potion making time." He announced sounding almost gleeful.

* * *

_Author's Note: Sorry it took a little longer to update. I also apologize for this boring never-ending chapter. I'll make it up in the next one. Also, thanks to those that reviewed. I really appreciate the tips, too. _

_I forgot to mention. I'm a big Hermione/Draco romance fan. Big, big, big. I'd love it if you would refer some of your favorites to me, and I'll do the same for you. _

_Also, please make it one of your options to review. I'd be most pleased. No flaming, no criticism. If you're unhappy with my fic, don't read it. _


	4. Hermione's First Date

The Agreement

_Chapter 4_

The whole day sped by uneventfully after that hectic morning. Malfoy rushed himself to the hospital wing as soon as potions class was over, and he had not been seen since. This pleased Hermione, Harry, and Ron a great deal.

"So how is that evil git making you serve for detention?" Ron asked angrily, referring to Snape. They stood waiting for Hagrid to come out of his cabin. Care of Magical Creatures was the last class of the day.

"Oh, nothing terrible, just writing lines." Hermione checked her watch impatiently.

"At least it's not scrubbing clean the chamber pots in the infirmary." Harry chuckled. Ron glared at his bespectacled friend.

"That was not funny Harry. I had detention all last week doing awful laboring for Snape." complained Ron. Hermione joined in with Harry and laughed politely at Ron.

"I told you not to put the frog eyes in too early, Ronald," Hermione sniffed haughtily, "served you right." Harry snickered. Hermione turned her attention to Harry and glared. "Don't you remember the time you mixed your potion in the wrong direction for at least half an hour?"

This time Ron laughed. "It's not funny at all. How are you supposed to pass your N.E.W.T.s? Or how are you two going to live on your own after this year?" Hermione worried.

"We're going to be roommates." Harry explained.

Ron nodded. "We'll probably live in an apartment London."

"Typical." Hermione grumpily muttered to herself. Those two were relied on each other with their dependency.

"An apartment, Weasley?" A jeering voice said behind them. The trio whipped around and faced Pansy Parkinson and her pesky group of friends.

"Some sort of ramshackle, no doubt." A tall blonde sneered.

Ron's ears turned red; he seemed lost for words.

Harry and Hermione took control. "Maybe, Parkinson," Harry said angrily, "but it won't even compare to the doghouse your pug of an arse will live in, now will it?"

Pansy opened her mouth to respond but Hagrid had just come out of his cabin. "Listen up. We're gonna be 'round back today." He grunted.

The class, slow to react, followed their teacher around the pumpkin patch into the yard in back of Hagrid's home.

"This better be impressive." Ron joked, observing the large cloth-covered crates in front of them. When had Hagrid's classes ever not been surprising?

"It will be." Hermione replied in obvious eagerness apparently not getting it. Her friends rolled their eyes and turned their attention on Hagrid.

"Got a little somethin' I know yeh all might like. Went through a handful to get them, but here they are. I'm gonna let one out. Now stand back Neville." Hagrid walked over to one of the crates and tore off the cover.

The class gasped.

"No, not again." Harry groaned.

"How's that? Blast-Ended Skrewts. Managed to get over two dozen of 'em for you lot." Hagrid grinned proudly.

Hermione's face fell. "We've already covered these." She called out.

Hagrid opened a crate and pulled out a runty skrewt. "You're right 'Ermione. Since I know you all loved the lot we had three years ago-"

"Loved them?" Someone interrupted. The speaker was Pansy Parkinson. Everyone turned to look at her. "Loved those? That's absurd! These things here are horrid. They ruin your clothes, they burn your skin, and if that isn't the worst, half of us caught fire last time. Why? Why would you even think we liked them? Even Potter and Weasley despised them!" Pansy took a breath.

"You're a terrible teacher. Couldn't you get creatures that aren't a dangerous threat to our health?" Blaise Zabini remarked smirking around at his friends.

Everyone turned to look at Hagrid but he was busy concentrating on Harry, Ron and Hermione. "You mean ter tell me you don't like them? Is that true Harry?"

Harry tried to comfort his friend. "No, I...it's just..."

Hagrid turned to Ron and Hermione and gave them a pleading stare. "Are my classes that bad?" His dark eyes like small beetles steadily shinnied with water.

"No, of course not!" assured Hermione. "You're a great teacher."

A few of the other Gryffindors babbled out about how Hagrid was their favorite teacher.

"Free period. You're all dismissed." He said gruffly.

"Oh Hagrid!" Hermione cried out. The great half-giant placed the skrewt back into its wooden crate.

Without a backward glance, he walked around the hut. Hermione winced as his door slammed shut. There was a moment's silence before the Slytherins began to cheer wildly as they trudged back up to the castle.

The Gryffindors followed gaily. It wasn't everyday you got upset your teacher _and_ a free period. "I feel horrible." Harry muttered, walking around the hut onto the grounds. "I should have said something."

"Don't feel bad mate. It was all the Slytherin's fault. He can't be mad at us." Ron thumped Harry's back.

"Maybe we should check on him." Hermione stated.

"You two can. I'm going to get something to eat. See the both of you later." Ron jogged to catch up with their fellow Gryffindors.

"Come on Harry." Hermione knocked on Hagrid thick wood door. "Hagrid! Please come out!" She said loudly. Hagrid did not answer, but she heard Fang scratching the door inside.

"Hagrid! We're sorry. Don't believe anything Pansy says. You're my favorite teacher!" Harry yelled. They heard sniffling inside. "Well, see you later." Harry called uncomfortably.

"That went well." Hermione snapped once they were inside the castle. Harry friendly patted her back.

"He'll come round. Anyhow, I'm going to catch up with Ron. Are you coming?" Hermione shook her head. "Okay Hermione. See you at dinner then."

"Bye Harry." Hermione watched him walk away. She led herself toward her dormitory where she would be able to begin her transfiguration homework which happened to be due soon.

She entered through the portrait door which was a beautifully drawn piece of art bearing the late Merlin's elderly face. Her footsteps were silent underneath the rich creamy tan carpeting. Hermione walked into the common room and found it empty.

"_Good."_ She thought a loud. "_Malfoy must still be at the hospital wing."_

She stood over a desk of pure maple in the common room, and placed her books neatly to the side then slid into the cushioned chair and sighed. Hermione looked around feeling unusually content. The Head Boy and Girl's common room had an expensive air to it.

There were sofas, either plush maroon or black leather. The walls were of only expensive stone; each rock different from the ones around it. The mantle above the fireplace was made of exquisite marble of both forest green and scarlet coloring. Hermione, unlike Malfoy appreciated the common room and her dormitory which was altogether splendid.

Hermione sighed again, more deeply this time. She began her essay and finished it nearly two hours later. After finishing her homework she decided to go down to the library and get a few books for a bit of light reading.

"Good evening, Ms. Granger. What can I do for you?" Madam Pince greeted the Gryffindor from her desk located off to the side.

"Just browsing." Hermione beamed. Soon enough Hermione found herself amongst thick and heavy books about curses and trickery spells. Hermione leafed through a few but found nothing that really interested her.

As she turned down another aisle full of shelves and books, she ran into something. Or someone. Hermione looked down and stared into the frightened eyes of a first or second year. "Pardon." Hermione excused politely.

The boy blushed but did not answer. He went back to looking at the books on the shelf. Hermione gazed at him a second longer. He had unruly and curly light brown hair. He was stout; shorter than average and slightly overweight. She caught on his robes that he was a Hufflepuff.

Hermione shook her head and turned to look at the books on the shelves opposite him. Minding her own business she was until the boy interrupted her from reading.

"I'm Daniel. Daniel Quartet." He said turning to look at her.

Hermione was taken aback by surprise. "I'm...Hermione Granger." She replied. She stuck out her hand for him to shake. "Nice to meet you." She said in a business tone.

He shook her hand without hesitation. His palm was sweaty and warm. "I know. You're Harry Potter's best friend. Head Girl too, if I'm not mistaken." He answered in a way as if he didn't care. Hermione smiled.

"Yes, I am." She decided to be kinder. "What are you looking for? Do you need any help?"

His round face reddened and he shook his head ruefully.

"Oh come on." Hermione teased playfully.

"You promise not to take points from Hufflepuff?" He bit his lip.

"I promise. I just want to help." She wondered what it was he was looking for.

"One of the Slytherins tripped me in the hallway yesterday," He explained. "I was looking for a spell to put on him..." He reddened.

"Do you know who it was?" Hermione demanded angrily.

Daniel shook his head hesitantly at first. "N...no."

"You can tell me." Hermione responded.

"I can do this myself," He replied indignantly, "I just needed help searching for a good one."

She sighed. "I sure I can be of some help." Hermione took a number of books from the shelves and brought them over to a table closest to where the books of skullduggery. She sat down in a seat and began to search through the books slowly. Daniel too sat down at the table and followed her lead.

Half an hour later, Daniel and Hermione had found a few good curses that were easy enough for a first year.

As Hermione read about illusion spells, a shadow came over her book and blocked out the light. She snapped around and glared.

"I see your honker has been modified." She sniffed. "It's funny," Hermione continued, "I never thought I'd live to see the day I saw a ferret with a beak."

Malfoy sneered and pretended not to have heard her. "Well, well, well. And I never thought I'd see the day Mudblood Granger got a boyfriend. So your first date's in a library? No surprise. Pity, seeing all you can do is a first year..." Malfoy peered to look at Daniel's robes. "And a Hufflepuff at that!" He chuckled in adetesting way. "They're almost as filthy as you mudbloods." He smirked and sent Daniel a seething glare. Daniel gave a Hermione a helpless glance but her back was turned to him.

"Watch it Malfoy." Hermione breathed sharply through her nostrils. She stood up, feeling too intimidated in her seat.

"I was just leaving." Malfoy gave Daniel another look. "See you later." He turned on his heel and stalked out of the library, his nose held high in the air.

"Don't worry about him." Hermione reassured sitting back down. "Once a git always a git." She smiled brightly as if she wasn't even bothered.

Daniel got up from his chair without another word. He followed in Malfoy's footsteps, leaving Hermione alone in the library besides Madam Pince.

Confused, Hermione picked up the books he had choose to use and checked them out. She'd just give them to Daniel when she saw him. Checking her watch, she realized dinner had already started.

Hermione walked into the familiar hall. She rushed over to her table and took a seat next to Ron. "Where were you?" Ron protested. He bit into a treacle tart and studied Hermione carefully.

"Library." Hermione shrugged.

Ron didn't give an answer, but he couldn't help rolling his eyes at Harry. "What are those books for, Hermione?" Harry asked curiously.

"Oh, I was helping a first year and he forgot them."

"He?" Ron raised his eyebrows. "Hermione's finally gotten a date." Ron announced to the people around them. Seamus gave Hermione thumbs up and Dean applauded loudly. Hermione blushed slightly.

"It was not a date, Ronald." Her tone implied disapproval. "What do you call it when I help you with your homework?" She questioned with narrowed eyes.

"Cheating." Ron and Harry answered at the same time.

"Very _funny_." She emphasized as she got up.

"Where are you going?" Ron asked, spitting food over the table in front of him. She ignored him and waked over to the Hufflepuff able. She spotted Daniel at the far end of the table with a few other first years.

"You forgot these." As Hermione handed him the books, she heard someone call out loudly.

"See, I told you Pansy. Granger's dating a first year." Malfoy drawled loudly, not even bothering to speak quietly. Daniel was mortified. His friends started to tease him about his new "girlfriend".

Hermione ignored Malfoy and returned to her table and sat down. "So it's true." Ron stated with laughter.

"Ron that is disgusting!" Ginny remarked watching her plate become covered with her brother's half chewed food.

"What's true?" Hermione took a baked potato and put it her gold plate angrily.

"You and that Hufflepuff." Ron's laughter ceased at her sudden burst of anger.

"What? No, Ron!" She said loudly, cutting her potato in half.

"Then what was that?" Harry asked.

"I was just being friendly, Harry." She decided not to talk to them for the rest of the meal if they were going to be so disagreeing.

Before Hermione could leave the Great Hall, not being able to take the penetrating stares, Malfoy had initiated another round of taunts.

"Granger and Quartet sitting in a tree," Malfoy began.

"K-I-S-S-" Malfoy started, but his voice was drowned out by Ron.

"Malfoy, you just leave her alone!" Ron snarled across the hall. His face was slightly red with anger.

"Why should I?" Malfoy asked with pure hatred in his gleaming eyes.

"Don't you realize we don't like you Malfoy?" Harry asked.

"Yes." Malfoy answered bluntly. "Not that that bothers me or anything." He sneered sarcastically.

Ron grabbed Hermione's half eaten potato from her plate and launched it towards the Slytherin table. Without saying anything, she took another potato and glared at Ron angrily.

"Is that the best you've got?" Malfoy smirked. The potato had not flown far enough. It landed on the side of Luna Lovegood's plate with a plop. She noticed it and nonchalantly dipped it into her curry sauce and took a bite. Hannah Abbott, who had been sitting next to Luna, moved to sit next to someone else.

"So what if it is?" Harry narrowed his eyes. Malfoy let of a string of angry curses.

"Mr. Malfoy I will not have you speaking that way in my presence. Ten points from Slytherin." Professor McGonagall snapped. She had just come into the hall and had been passing the Slytherin table on her way to the staff table.

"That was wicked." Ron said happily watching McGonagall walk swiftly to her designated seat. "Even though Harry and I could have easily outdone him."

"He got what he deserved." Harry stated. He looked back at Malfoy and watched him glaring into his goblet. He turned back to face Hermione and Ron.

Hermione replied, "That little ferret is just jealous. It's plain for everyone to see." She forgot that she wasn't talking to her two best friends.

They walked up to the portrait of Merlin. "I don't know what to do about Hagrid." Hermione wailed changing the subject. She looked tiredly around the hall and got up. Harry and Ron got up too.

Ron shrugged. "To be quite frank, Hermione, Parkinson was right. No one liked the skrewts. They're horrible." They walked out of the hall ignoring stares from the other students.

"Ron!" squeaked Hermione. "That's exactly how we got him upset."

"They might not be our favorite creatures, but that doesn't give the Slytherins a reason to bash him up like that." The three stopped in front of Hermione's common room.

"What that girl needs is a real duffing up." Ron refused to hear out what Harry had to say.

"Well, goodnight you two." Hermione said the password to gain entrance of her common room.

"Night." They replied in unison.

Hermione stepped into the common room and took a seat in front of the fireplace, but no before getting a book to read from her room.

She read for at least two hours almost forgetting Malfoy. He almost always came in after curfew. When the clock struck nine, Hermione laid her book down and went out into the corridor to wait for prefect Anthony Goldstein. Tonight was one of her nights for patrolling the corridors.

Candles flickered weakly, not giving Hermione enough light. She stood huddled up against the portrait shivering. After waiting for a few minutes, she heard footsteps proceeding towards her. "Is that you Hermione?" Questioned the voice of Anthony Goldstein.

"You're late Goldstein." She laughed softly.

"Nonsense. You're just early." He came into Hermione's view, grinning. "Shall we be on our way then?" He held out his arm for Hermione to take. She willingly linked arms with his as they continued on.

"Unusually quiet tonight." Anthony commented, leading Hermione down a flight of stairs. Hermione agreed. They continued down to the dungeons where there always seemed to be Slytherins milling about in the shadows.

Hermione halted suddenly. She heard voices, two or three. There was a crash. "Someone's in the classroom."

They stood outside of potions classroom. "Should we wait for them to come out?" Anthony whispered. Hermione shook her head.

"They'd have to have a good reason to be in Snape's classroom. Let's just bust them." Silently she went to turn the knob. As soon as her fingered gripped it, she pulled back and moaned.

"What's the matter Hermione?" Anthony reached out for the knob but Hermione held his hand back. She showed him her palm. It was red.

"It's a spell. The knob becomes untouchable to everyone but the witch or wizard that casts it. It seared my skin pretty badly." She cradled her hand.

The Ravenclaw nodded sympathetically. "You're burned? We need to get you to the hospital wing. But not before we give our little friend a few detentions." He removed his wand from his pocket and tapped the doorknob sharply.

Its glow was a vibrant shade of silver before turned back to its normal deep copper color. Defiantly, Anthony grabbed it and turned it. He opened the door with haste and held his wand out.

He nodded and Hermione followed him into the classroom. "They're in there." She whispered. She pointed, with her good hand, to the door to the closet that held ingredients used for potion making.

With quiet steps he was at the door instantly. Hermione looked around and stood guard at the door they had come through. Anthony tapped the doorknob with his wand before touching it.

Behind the door, sounds of glass shattering could be heard. Muffled curses followed shortly. Anthony stood poised outside the door patiently. When they did not open the door, he reached for the knob and turned it slowly.

He threw open the door. Hermione rushed to his side. "Ah, look what we have here." She said to Anthony. She grinned triumphantly. "What are you two doing in here?

Crabbe and Goyle glared at them. "Nothing." Crabbe said fingering the bag that he held. He wasn't entirely intimidating, just standing there looking nervous.

"You, Goyle. Explain." Anthony pounced upon the other.

"I...uh...Someone sent us to do them a favor."

Crabbe punched Goyle, causing a shelf to fall down behind them. "You're not supposed to tell them!" He growled.

"Before I take points from Slytherin, and give you both detentions, I expect you to answer." Hermione put a hand on her hip.

"As I said before," Goyle replied, trying to intimidate the Gryffindor, "we're helping a fellow Slytherin out."

"With what?" Hermione stood her ground, although she half wanted to back away. Anthony, on the other hand advanced on the Slytherins. He grabbed the bag that Crabbe had been holding from behind his back.

"What's in here?" Anthony looked up at the large boys before going to open the bag. Relief seemed to pass over both of their faces. They both looked over Anthony's shoulder. Hermione advanced to have a look; neither prefect nor Head Girl took any notice.

"Whatever is in that bag, Goldstein, certainly does not concern you or Granger." said a cool female voice. They whipped around and faced Pansy Parkinson. Hermione gave her a false smile.

"Parkinson. Do you know what's in the bag?" Hermione took out her wand. Crabbe meanwhile grabbed the bag back from Anthony.

"Of course I do, Granger. As I said, it's none of your business. Now hand it here, you fat lard." Pansy shoved her way towards Crabbe and reached for the bag. Crabbe reluctantly let go. "Snape was in need of a few items. He asked me to run out and do a favor. As if I was going to. Do I look like a house elf to you?" she asked.

"More like a pig." Anthony muttered under his breath. Pansy glared at him.

"In case you haven't forgotten, I'm a fellow prefect, Goldstein."

Hermione smiled. "We haven't."

"So I had these two," She pointed to Crabbe and Goyle, "go. It was taking them so long and I was getting_ worried_, so I took pity and came to find them myself. Now if you'll excuse me, I'll be on my way."

Pansy made to leave, but Hermione held her back. "Let's see a note admitting you to go wandering around the school then."

Pansy fake smile did not falter. She fished around in her cloak pocket and pulled out a piece of folded parchment. Anthony grabbed it and unfolded it. His eyes skimmed down the wrinkled parchment before reading it.

"_I, Professor Serverus Snape am admitting Miss Parkinson to retrieve some personal items on my behalf. Anyone that gives Miss Parkinson trouble on her errand will answer to me."_ Anthony read. He smirked at Snape's lousy standing threat.

"I could report you, Mudblood." Pansy said with sparkling eyes. "You'll get weeks worth of detention I bet. But, I won't because you don't know what's in the bag."

With that, Pansy fled out the door and as quick as she'd come she was gone. Anthony and Hermione turned to look at Crabbe and Goyle. "Fifteen points from Slytherin for making a mess. Clean it up. Then I expect both of you to return to your common room for the night." Hermione ordered.

Crabbe and Goyle nodded their heads vigorously, knowing they were being let off easily. Hermione and Anthony strolled from the classroom. The Ravenclaw glanced at the watch on his wrist.

"It's already ten." He yawned. "I'll see you back to your common room; unless you want to get your hand bandaged up. Then I'm hitting the sack. He grinned cheekily at Hermione whom smiled back.

"Don't worry about my hand. I have something I can but on it."

So Anthony saw her to the portrait of Merlin. "Take care." He said parting.

"See you tomorrow." Hermione called down the corridor towards Anthony's retreating back. He turned to look over his shoulder and waved.

...ABCDEFG...

Before Pansy could even walk into the dormitory in which she slept, she was bombarded by the other Slytherin girls in her year.

"Did you get it?"

"How did it go?"

"Was there any trouble?"

Pansy pushed her way into the room and sat down on one of the girl's beds.

The girls crowded around her eagerly. "So..?" Millicent Bulstrode made to grab for the bag Pansy's fingers were clutched around. She glared at Millicent. Pansy didn't really like her, but she still put up with her.

"To answer your questions, yes I obviously have it. It went okay. Not well. I blame Draco for never teaching those illiterate lugs anything. There was a slight situation. Mudblood Granger and Anthony Goldstein interrupted Crabbe and Goyle, but Granger fell for the signed permission slip trick. She really isn't as smart as they say she is."

The girls gasped and began speaking once again, all at the same time.

"That Granger has it coming." Millicent cracked her knuckles. Pansy eyed her in hidden fright.

"Anthony...isn't he that dorky prefect from Ravenclaw?" giggled Gwen Ludder.

"Yes, isn't he adorable?" responded Monet Evans.

"Shut up all of you!" Pansy barked. They simply obeyed their raven haired friend.

"When are we going to start it?" Millicent asked thoughtfully.

Pansy succeeded in not scrunching up her face. "We're going to start it as soon as I can get someone," Pansy looked at all of the girls, "to nick a cauldron from the potions classroom."

"I'll do it." Tabitha Limons offered happily. She was Pansy right hand, and did almost everything she was told.

"Alright, Tabitha. I want it no later than tomorrow night." Pansy glared at Mallory Kings, a very outspoken blonde. "I assume you've gotten the instructions, Kings?" Mallory nodded and opened up the book up to a page in the back.

"It's a strong love potion. They call it The Deeply and Ineffable Love Potion of Ecstasy." Mallory held the book up for the other girls to see. "It's got a picture here of two lovers walking along a stream..." Mallory explained.

Pansy raised her eyebrows. "Do you think I care? Just read what it says!" She shrieked. Mallory shrugged and squinted to read the small print.

"_The Deeply and Ineffable Love Potion of Ecstasy was created in the late 1800's by the infamous witch, Helga Rae Cottonseed, that was forever in love with a man whom loved someone else. The potion is very successful. Her man came running to Cottonseed in a matter of hours." _

"How utterly romantic!" Monet interrupted.

The other girls were about to agree but Pansy sent them a warning glare. "Go on, Mallory."

"_...This attaching potion can be used throughout both genders. It can also be dangerous. Adding too many snake eyes can cause the potion to react stronger in unintentional ways." _Mallory took a breath before continuing. _"A recent discovery was made in the last decade by Charles Deacons. He theoretically discovered and proved that by restraining from adding the crushed spider legs, the potion will eventually wear off in a day or two, etc." _Mallory closed the book with a snap.

"So we've got the ingredients, and if all goes well, Pansy, we'll be able to start tomorrow." Mallory yawned.

Pansy nodded. "Yes, it'll take at least two weeks until it's complete."

"So it'll be done by Halloween?" Millicent predicted. Monet rolled her eyes and shared a look with Gwen. They were the quieter two.

"You're forgetting one thing." Tabitha remarked. "Who are we going to use it on?"

Each girl looked curiously at the other.

"I know who." Tabitha smirked.

_Author's Note: Finally. Finally. Finally. I deeply apologize for not updating sooner. I don't give excuses, so I'll just say that I had a bit of Writer's Block. I'm pretty slow at typing dialogue and all too. I'm having some fun writing, though. I enjoy it. _

_Sorry that there wasn't a lot of Draco. He's just not as important to the plot. Yet. I think in the next chapter or the following one. No promises. Thanks for the reviews. They are inspiring. I hope this chapter wasn't slow, or anything. I have a hard time stopping myself from springing detail after detail. _

_I also realize that I didn't set disclaimers up for the last three chapters. _

_Disclaimer: I don't own the Harry Potter novels because I'm certainly not Jo Rowling. This is sort of depressing because if it's one thing I love, it's the paparazzi. So since I don't own the books, I don't own the characters, settings, etc, etc, etc. _

_Claimer: Yep... I can claim. Which sort of makes me sad to think I'd need to actually do it, but some people like to use other people's ideas without permission? So, I made up "The Deeply and Ineffable Love Potion of Ecstasy", Helga Rae Cottonseed, and Charles Deacons, Daniel Quartet, Tabitha Limons, Mallory Kings, Monet Arwens, and Gwen Ludder. _

Yes, and if you weren't planning on reviewing, because you're feeling a bit lazy, you'll miss out on winning a date with Draco Malfoy!

Draco: What? Come again.

DD: I...uh... Just made you into a bachelor of some sort. –Nervous grin-

Draco: You bloody sicko!

_Also, please make it one of your options to review. I'd be most pleased. No flaming, no criticism. If you're unhappy with my fic, don't read it. _

Completed Mar. 30 2005


	5. The Stolen Broom

The Agreement

_Chapter 5_

Hermione woke up to the sounds of the last chattering birds that had not yet flown south. She stretched, still tired; She had not had an early night. What Anthony and she had witnessed the night before bothered Hermione greatly. Why would Snape trust Pansy Parkinson besides the fact that she's a Slytherin?

Still wondering, she climbed out of bed and walked over to the window that looked over the grounds and gazed longingly at Hagrid's hut. The smoke climbed slyly into the crisp morning air through the smokestack on the roof.

Hermione's eyes traveled skyward. The gray sky arched over the Forbidden Forest. It seemed as if the trees were in a dismal mood too. How would she face the school again after the small show Malfoy had put on the night before at dinner?

She took a deep breath and tried her best not to think about. It would be no use to worry herself. She frowned slightly as she continued to stare almost reproachfully down at the treetops.

Her gaze steadily moved onto Hagrid's hut yet again. She felt disappointed in herself for letting Hagrid down as she had yesterday. Though it wasn't entirely her fault, Hermione felt it was.

She slid away from the window that seemed to be dampening her day already. Her closet door held a few ordinary things that an ordinary girl would wear; A few sweaters, at least a dozen blouses, and her school robes. Hermione shrugged self consciously. She was at school, why worry about making a fashion statement on top of homework? Plus, this was their N.E.W.T.s year.

She pulled on her black robes on top of her uniform that consisted of a pleated skirt and a plain white blouse. Standing in the mirror she did up her scarlet and golden tie with ease.

The Head Girl stared at herself critically in the full length mirror. Her hair hung from her head like a frizzy bush. She ran a hand through the thick chestnut locks before gathering it up and pulling it into a ponytail. She smiled inwardly and patted it down. She knew her looks did not matter as much as her intelligence.

She stepped into her Mary Jane's and walked out of her room into the half lit hallway. Hermione shook her head as she passed Malfoy's room. His persistent snores reached her ears. He was obviously still asleep.

It was just how Hermione liked it. The Great Hall was nearly empty. Although a fair amount of students were scattered throughout the hall at their tables and the professor that was on duty watching over the hall in silence, which happened to be Professor Flitwick.

In spite of the fact that he was watching them, Hermione removed her Charms textbook from her bag and flipped to a random page and read lazily as she sipped her coffee.

Fifteen minutes upon reading, Hermione found herself entirely bored. Perhaps this was because she'd already read her textbook at least half a dozen times. She watched the some Ravenclaw fourth years somewhat carelessly. They sat huddled together taking turns reading.

Not wanting to just sit around for another hour, Hermione took up an apple and walked slowly back up to the common room. She said the password and walked through the portrait door. Hermione took a seat on a leather sofa and closed her eyes.

She bit hungrily into her red apple. It was highly sweet and slightly sour. Just how she liked them. She must have dozed off because the next thing she knew, she was awoken by the shortage of breath.

"I was hoping you'd die from the lack of oxygen." Malfoy scoffed.

Hermione touched her nose briefly. "Did I give permission for you to touch me?"

She looked up and found Malfoy staring down at her. "What are you looking at?" She snapped.

His lopsided smirk widened. "If it wasn't for me, Granger, you'd be late for class."

Hermione harrumphed.

"I know," Malfoy said backing away slowly, "what are good servants for?"

Hermione jumped up in surprise. "Who said the deal was still on?"

"Let's think about that one for a moment." He tapped his chin and looked up at the ceiling. "The contract, perhaps." He grinned wickedly at Hermione's astonishment.

"You are a bloody malodorous git." With that, she picked up her bag and stalked out of the common room, leaving Malfoy standing there, smirking.

For a moment he simply stood in the same spot thinking. _Malodorous? It's probably some foreign language for beautiful. _He hitched his bag up on his shoulder and walked calmly out of the common room and down to the Great Hall. _The word of the day. _

"Good morning Crabbe. Goyle. You both are _very_ malodorous today." Malfoy smiled innocently as he sat down across from his cronies and stared hard at them. Blaise Zabini nodded at them from next to Malfoy.

"You're telling me." He turned his head so only Malfoy could hear.

Malfoy, pretending he knew what the word even meant, nodded in agreement. Pansy and her group of chattering girls approached them. "Those first years are so annoying." Pansy pointed a finger to where the younger students were sitting. They glared at Pansy and her friends.

"Hello Pansy, girls. You're all so malodorous and gorgeous today." Malfoy batted his eye lashes.

Blaise choked in the goblet he'd been drinking from. "Flattering, Malfoy."

"Malodorous means-" Started Mallory Kings but Pansy interrupted her.

"Malodorous? Your vocabulary seems to be expanding, Malfoy. You've been hanging out with the Mudblood." She sneered and pulled at his hair. Before he could slap her hand away she pulled back.

Tabitha whispered in Pansy's ear. "Well, you're just malefic then." Pansy retorted, giving the egotist a nasty grin and sitting next to him. The others followed suit.

Knowing what that meant, Malfoy took up her hair and pulled it. "Don't you ever speak that way to me, Parkinson." He gave her black hair another yank.

"Release her, Malfoy." Blaise pulled his friend's arm away. "You don't handle women like that."

"Oh look, here's Blaise, the real gentlemen. I'll show you how to treat women." Malfoy picked up a goblet of pumpkin juice and threw its contents in Crabbe's face."

"What was that for?" Crabbe fixed an enraged stare on Malfoy.

"Accident." Malfoy replied getting up quickly and walking away. He barely managed to conceal his fright.

"There's..." Goyle looked quizzically at Malfoy's retreating back.

"...Something wrong with him." Pansy finished. She seemed to have a knack for interrupting people.

Breakfast was dismissed sooner than expected. All of the students clambered eagerly out the doors on their way to class. "Skipping are we?" Blaise gave Pansy as skeptical glance.

She shook her head. "I'll be late. I've got some business to take care of." Pansy and her friends pushed their way through the crowd and exited. Blaise turned, confused, to look at a sopping wet Crabbe, and Goyle.

"Do you not have the decency in cleaning yourself up? Merlin, Crabbe." Blaise grabbed his books off the table and stalked arrogantly off to class.

...ABCDEFG...

"Why weren't you at breakfast?" Ron asked Hermione. He and Harry slid into the seats on either side of their bushy haired friend. The trio had Transfiguration first on Thursday mornings.

"I was there earlier." Hermione opened up her text book and took out some parchment and her favorite quill.

Neither of the two boys answered for McGonagall had stood up from behind her desk and was speaking to the class. "Studying with the Ravenclaws?" Harry whispered quietly to Hermione with a mocking smile.

She pretended not to hear, and continued writing down what McGonagall was saying word for word. Ron made a feeble attempt in copying off her paper but she put a protective arm around it.

"I hope you all have been studying," McGonagall was saying, "for I've decided to give a little pop quiz to see just how much you have. As you know, your N.E.W.T.s are drawing nearer..." Her voice droned on, but the class was not listening—other than Hermione.

Harry and Ron began to fret. "Hermione let us see your notes." Ron begged in an undertone.

"You can't be serious." Hermione gave him a dirty look. "Of course not."

"Ms. Brown, I hope you don't mind volunteering to pass out the quiz." McGonagall handed Lavender Brown a stack of paper which she immediately began passing out to each student. "There are fifty questions to complete. You have one hour. Begin."

Hermione read the six page quiz over carefully before actually answering the questions. Ron and Harry glanced sideways to look at her answers ever so often. Once McGonagall caught Ron copying Hermione's answer and moved him to another desk in the front of the room.

It only took Hermione half the time given to complete her work. She handed it in to the teacher's desk. The students would each be excused from class after they handed in their test. Hermione made her way to the library. She noticed a familiar person sitting at a table in the back of the library.

"You've earned yourself a detention for skipping class, Quartet." She said in a voice that sounded exactly like Professor McGonagall.

Daniel nearly fell off his seat in surprise. When he turned around his frightened face changed to one of gentle calmness. "Hermione! You shouldn't sneak up on people like that." He put a hand over his chest and began to breathe normally again.

Hermione laughed quietly and sat down next to him. "So why are _you_ not in class?"

"You see, I'm horrible in potions, and Snape absolutely hates me." He half whined.

"Snape hates everybody except for his beloved Slytherins; get used to it. As for being horrible in potions, why didn't you just ask me for help?"

Daniel scrunched up his shoulders and put his head down, ashamed.

Hermione held his chin and gently lifted it so he faced her. "How about, you don't miss anymore of your classes?"

He heaved a sigh. "What's in it for me?"

"What's in it for you, you say? What if I tutored you once or twice a week so you can keep up with the rest of your classmates?"

Hermione watched as he formulated her offer in his head. "I guess we could come to some sort of," He paused in uncertainty, "a deal..." Daniel finished firmly.

"I'll speak to Professor Dumbledore about it later. Now get off to class." Along with her demanding tone, she left the parting Daniel with a weak smile.

"Thank you." He walked out of the library with a bounce in his step. Hermione smiled and wondered what she was getting herself into. She turned her attention to the book that lay open innocently on the table. Not able to resist herself, she took it in her hands and flipped it over to look at the cover.

This was not a book having to do with curses, or anything on the subject they had been searching through last night. It was a book filled with potions and spells concerning romancing, passion, and affection. What did we have here?

Before Hermione could flip through the book, the bell rang meaning she had to hurry to her next class. She got up and left the book where Daniel had left it in the first place.

...ABCDEFG...

Draco Malfoy dragged his feet as he walked up towards the East Tower for an excruciating Divination class, as he put it. All morning his so called Slytherin friends had teased him about the incident with his nose the day before.

All he'd had to do was give them all an irking glare to shut them up, but he knew they were still talking behind his back; Once a Slytherin always a Slytherin. He climbed the wooden ladder up into the tower and was once again introduced to the dreadful fumes that possessed the room.

Before going to the back of the classroom, Malfoy sent a squalid look to the back of Professor Trelawney's head. He hated taking the class since third year, but his father thought it was best for him. Only Merlin knows why, for his father did not even believe in such rubbish.

Malfoy gingerly sat upon a poof next to Crabbe and Goyle. Malfoy couldn't even see their cushion underneath there backsides, not that he was looking purposely. His Slytherin housemates and Ravenclaws filed into the classroom. They arrived in two and threes, sitting around him.

"Class," Trelawney began once the last of the Ravenclaws and Slytherins had sat down, "We're going to perform the spell I taught you all last week that allows you into the mind of another person so you know what they're thinking inside their head." She held up a hand when she noticed a few of the students already pulling out their wands.

"But wait, that's next week." Malfoy sent Trelawney another hard look. "First I need to know you're all capable of doing so." She gazed particularly at Pansy Parkinson through her large spectacles. The class groaned and gradually put their wands away.

"You'll have half of the class to complete this written assignment. Once you've finished, you're free to read your text book. I don't want any cock ups, namely you, Ms. Parkinson." Professor Trelawney continued smugly.

There was a moment of laughter from the other students around the classroom. Pansy looked around quickly and blushed. She put her head down and did not look back up.

Professor Trelawney did not bother to cease the primitive laughter; she only smiled along and passed out parchment. "You may start."

The class finished in prompt timing, eager to leave and go to lunch. "Are you all done?" Professor Trelawney's debonair voice rang out through the classroom. With a wave of her wand, their work flew into her outstretched arms.

"I hope to find that you all did well." This time she did not make Pansy out as a fool. "When the bell rings you're dismissed."

Blaise Zabini turned to look at Malfoy steadily. "I wonder how I did." Blaise divulged to himself more than to anyone else.

"They say_ I'm_ starting to sound like Granger." responded Malfoy shaking his head.

"Funny." Blaise grumbled in a tone that suggested sarcasm.

"So I heard that oaf giant got his wimpy heart broken yesterday." Malfoy smirked. "I wish I could have been there."

"He did. Not even Potter stood up against him. Priceless."

"I imagine so." Draco replied bored out of his wits. "Let's get out of here."

"What do you mean? We can't just leave."

"Watch me." Malfoy got up and calmly walked across the classroom until he was at the trap door where the ladder was. Malfoy's expression was full of smug satisfaction. He quirked his head at an angle and motioned for Blaise to follow.

He reluctantly did. Blaise picked up his books and slid quietly against the wall out of the room like Malfoy had. "So we're out. Where to now?" Blaise gazed skeptically at his friend. "You do have a place in mind, don't you?"

Malfoy fidgeted with a button on his robe. "Don't I always?"

"So what is it?"

"Let's steal Potter's broom." He suggested. "I've got the password for their common room. It's an opportune moment, no one will be around."

"Draco, that's something we'd do as first years."

As they walked down the tower, Malfoy managed to change Blaise's mind. They hurried to Malfoy and Hermione's common room where they carelessly dumped their books, and then they nearly ran all the way to the portrait of the Fat Lady.

"This is it, right?" Blaise asked unsurely.

"You're not going to back out on me now, are you?" Malfoy glared nastily. Blaise rolled his eyes and shook his head.

"The password's _Slytherin's are repulsive._" Malfoy said sneering. "How much do you want to bet Weasley came up with that?" Malfoy led the way into the scarlet and gold decorated common room.

"The Zabini fortune." Blaise looked around the common room with a frown on his face. "Why is it that they have a nicer common room than the Slytherins?"

"Because Dumbledore's a Muggle loving fool, and he probably wants to marry Harry Potter." Malfoy explained lamely.

"I see."

"Let's go, it's up here." The blonde led them up to where the seventh year boys' dormitory was. "This is definitely Potter's." They bent down and Blaise unlocked the trunk with a simple spell.

Malfoy was not careful about going through Harry's things. He tried desperately not to touch the underwear or dirty socks. At the bottom of the trunk lay Harry's Firebolt. Malfoy retrieved it with a smirk.

"We've got to hurry. Class is almost over." Blaise glanced at his watch. They closed Harry's trunk and locked it before leaving. Then they ran back to the common room and each collapsed on a different couch.

"What do we do with it?" Blaise panted.

"Why hide it of course."

"Or better yet, Malfoy. We make it look like Granger took it."

"Yes, go put it in the back of her closet." Malfoy gave the racing broom one last greedy look before handing it over to Blaise.

When Blaise came back, Malfoy was waiting for him by the door. "Appearances; I don't want anyone to get suspicious. Lunch is just about to begin."

They walked calmly down to the Great Hall with expressionless faces. The two Slytherins strutted to their table and sat down to eat. Down at the other end of the Slytherin table, five girls sat planning what they'd call a conspiracy.

"Tabitha swiped it. We begin tonight."

"I can't wait until Halloween."

"_I_ can't wait to see the school's reaction." Pansy claimed smiling slightly.

"Can't we just start it now? I'm too excited to wait." Mallory begged.

"Not enough time." Monet answered.

Just then, Harry Potter came running into the Great Hall. He looked left then right before rushing to where Ron and Hermione were sitting.

"My broom!" Harry said loud enough for only them to hear. "It's gone!"

"Goon?" Ron chewed his food and swallowed before continuing. "What do you mean by gone? You were only cleaning it last night."

"Did you look under your bed?" Hermione observed the situation.

"It's not there, Hermione! Please, help me find it. We have Quidditch practice after classes on Friday." Harry pleaded.

Hermione was about to ask if they could look later because she hadn't eaten but an apple all day, but seeing Harry's frantic face, Hermione gradually got up and followed Harry. She realized that Ron was not in pursuit. She went back to where he was chewing on beef and grabbed his ear. "Let's go." She led him out of the hall and back up to the Gryffindor common room.

"It's not fair, Hermione. This is the second time I've had to abandon my food in less than two days!" Ron complained.

"Would you like it if your broom was missing?" Seeing Ron's face, she took it as a no. "So you better help Harry, even if you don't get any sleep because he's our best friend."

"Thanks Hermione." Harry got on his hands and knees and looked under Neville, Dean, and Seamus' beds. "It's not here." He got up and clenched his fists.

Meanwhile, Hermione was looking in the closets. Ron had disappeared to see if it had been left in the common room the night before.

"I know I put it back into my trunk. I just know it." Harry repeated to himself over and over.

"Calm down, Harry. I'll check my common room later. It's got to be somewhere. We'll find it in time."

"Sure we will!" Harry bellowed losing his cool. "This always happens to me! Will my string of bad luck ever end!" He took a deep breath and sat down on his bed. Hermione aborted her search and sat down next to him.

"I believe in you Harry. So does Ron, Ginny, and everyone else in Gryffindor." She put a hand on his shoulder. "Don't try to get yourself down like that."

"No, Hermione." Harry pulled his arm away. "They just depend on me to kill Voldemort." He breathed the Dark Lord's name in fury. "I hate him. I hate them! I hate them all!"

Ron appeared as silently as he'd left. "I believe in you, Harry. We all do."

Harry seemed to calm down greatly. "Thanks you guys. If it wasn't for my two best friends, who knows where I'd be now." Harry smiled at them.

"We'll find your broom Harry." Ron said in such an assuring tone that Harry's face brightened.

"We'd better, or else I'm stealing Malfoy's." The three laughed.

"Let's go see Hagrid." Hermione suggested trying to break the silence that had come over them.

"Yeah, maybe he'll have a good idea to where my broom might be."

Hermione and Harry looked expectantly at Ron. He shrugged. "Sure."

Harry knocked on the thick wooden door. "Who's there?" Hagrid's voice came from inside.

"It's us." Harry replied defiantly.

"Come in then." The door opened slowly. "You're lettin' the cold in." Hagrid added. They walked into the small round cabin and gathered at the table.

"Have a seat." Hagrid offered still not looking at them. Harry and Ron plunked down into Hagrid's wooden chairs, but Hermione stood.

"Hagrid, we came down to apologize. We were all cruel and selfish yesterday." Hermione choked out. "You're our favorite professor; we love your classes. What's life without a bit of excitement in it? Please forgive us." She wrung her fingers earnestly.

Hagrid turned around slowly to face them. "O' course I forgive yeh." He gave Hermione a rib snapping hug that pulled her a few feet off the floor.

"Er, Hagrid? Maybe you should put her down." Ron's eyes widened as he watched Hermione's face turn blue.

Hagrid dropped Hermione gently. She scurried away and sat down in between Harry and Ron. She took a few deep breaths before continuing. "So are we going to still study the skrewts?"

Hagrid gave Hermione a look of amazement. "O' course not! I got rid o' them las' night."

The trio looked at each other before Harry asked, "Then what are we going to move onto next?"

"That, Harry, remains a secret." Hagrid placed three gigantic mugs of tea, on in front of each Gryffindor on the table. He too sat down and drank deeply from his hot drink.

"So what's been goin' on with you three? We haven't really gotten a chance to sit don't and talk since you lot started school."

"My broom was stolen earlier." Harry put his head in his hands.

"What? Did yeh tell Dumbledore?"

"No, I'm not going to bother him about it."

Hagrid thought for a moment. "Have yeh looked in public places such as the Great Hall or broom cupboards?"

"No. I guess I could have a look later on."

"We." Hermione corrected.

"Well you better head back up ter the school. Don't want you missing any classes. This is yer N.E.W.T.s year after all."

"We'll come visiting soon." Ron assured their half-giant friend.

Hagrid nodded and ushered them to the door. "Yer in for a surprise on Friday." Hagrid said happily and he closed the door.

"I'm glad he's no longer mad at us." Hermione commented blissfully as they made their way up the sloping grounds.

"Me too but I wish I had my broom." Harry looked down at his feet.

Ron patted Harry on the shoulder. "You can borrow mine if we don't find it by Friday."

"No, it's okay."

They stood in the Entrance Hall thinking silently.

"Well, see you." Hermione announced making the other two jump.

"Yeah, okay. See you later."

Hermione walked off leaving them standing alone.

"Gryffindor Stinks." She said half-heartedly. The portrait door opened and she stepped in to find Malfoy and Blaise Zabini lounging around.

"Are you just going to ignore us without saying hello?" Blaise asked when she passed them without a word. She stopped and turned around to face them. They both wore the same provoking smirk.

"Hello." She walked around to where Malfoy was laying on a couch with his eyes closed. "You best give Harry his broom back." Hermione gave Blaise her best contemptuous face. His smirk was pronounced more than ever.

Malfoy opened one eye and peered up at her. "See how biased Gryffindors are, Blaise? Something gets stolen and they come blaming the Slytherins."

"Well, where is it?" The Head Girl put her hands on her hips. "Give it back."

"Give it back." Malfoy mocked sitting himself upright.

"Give it back or I'll go to McGonagall." She warned.

"How do you know if he even took Potter's bloody stick?" Blaise drawled.

"I know you well enough. I know both of you well enough to know you stole it! You have the password for the Gryffindor common room."

"Go ahead and look in my room, Granger. Nothing's there. Accompany her, Blaise. There are thing in there that should not be seen upon Granger's beady eyes."

"I will." She marched upstairs and into Malfoy's room. Blaise followed behind slowly.

"Stupid mudblood." Malfoy muttered before closing his eyes again. He listened carefully and heard her shifting through his things on the floor above.

When he heard them coming back down into the common room he turned around to give her a smug look. "Find anything?"

She folded her arms back over her chest. "Your room stinks,"

"Does not." Malfoy insisted standing up.

"Keeping rats underneath your bed would not trigger that awful smell then?" Before he could open his mouth to reply, Hermione stalked out of the common room without another word.

Blaise sat down on the sofa he had been sitting on before. They sat in silence before Blaise opened his mouth to speak. "Rats, Malfoy?"

"They're for...a project."

"You're horrible." Blaise said standing up. "Well, see you."

Malfoy was about to ask where he was going but the portrait door shut with a snap.

Blaise traveled on his own behind Granger in a slow pace. He guided his feet along the corridors toward the Ancient Runes classroom.

...ABCDEFG...

Ginny Weasley found herself not paying attention as she sat in class, barely listening to Professor Binns lecture the class on who knows what. She nodded off slightly for a moment before sighing deeply and reaching into her bag. She pulled out a few slips of parchment and her favorite quill.

The quill had belonged to Bill when he was in school, so she always chose to write with it. She tickled her face with the old feather. Lines, neat and short were strewn all over the paper. Her desk mate Melanie Smith tapped her on the shoulder, perhaps half an hour later.

"What's that you're drawing Weasley?" Ginny turned it over on the desk. Melanie shrugged. "Class ended a few minutes ago. Just thought you'd like to know. See you tomorrow."

"Thanks Mel." Ginny called after the blonde. Ginny's brows furrowed together as she looked critically at what she'd drawn. The doodling had turned into a portrait. She huffed slightly and picked up her bag.

The corridor was a mess. It was crowded, end to end with students that were hurrying to their destinations. Ginny had to wait a few impatient minutes before she could move. Just as she stepped forward, someone else stepped on her foot. Ginny lost balance and grip of her school bag. She fell forward in front of the owner of her tripper's feet. Books flew in all directions, hitting some people's legs and feet. "Damn."

"Oh dear," She heard someone say, slightly sarcastic. It was a deeper voice. Ginny was not paying attention, though. She was busying crawling on fours trying to get her books. People angrily tripped over her. One even kicked her in the stomach.

"I'm dreadfully sorry." Ginny murmured awkwardly. Blaise Zabini crouched down to retrieve some of Ginny's property. Ginny looked up, surprised.

"It was my fault. I wasn't watching where I was going." Blaise filled the silence and ignored the redhead's stare.

"N-no. I shouldn't be s...so clumsy."

"Really," Blaise picked up a piece of parchment and looked at it curiously, "the pleasure was all mine."

Ginny blushed bright red at Blaise's comment. To hide her embarrassed faced, she looked at her hands and what she was picking up.

"What's this?" He asked shoving the paper he was holding under her nose. Ginny focused her vision and looked down. Her red face became even redder.

"Nothing." She replied hastily. Ginny made to grab it quickly from him, but he held tight to it. "Can I have it?" Ginny finally looked up into his face. His eyes were looking directly into her own. Blaise's eyes were gorgeous. They were of the color of plain brown, but the specks of green and black were intriguing.

"You have beautiful eyes." Ginny breathed. She gasped when she realized she'd said it aloud. He looked at her curiously.

"What did you say?"

By then the corridor had cleared somewhat. It was the perfect time to get away from this embarrassing situation. "I...I nothing. I didn't say anything." She glanced down and realized that there hands were still holding the parchment. She let go slowly and took a deep breath. Blaise watched her all the while.

She opened her mouth to speak but Blaise beat her to it. "Did you draw this?"

"I was really just doodling; I didn't even realize what I was doing. Professor Binns is so boring I started to fall asleep then I started doodling. I was really just doodling." Ginny rambled not making much sense.

"What?"

"I just started drawing, and when I was finished, well actually it's not finished yet. Well, when class was over I obviously had to stop and I was going to complete it with color and all..."

"It's nice."

Ginny made a small face. As soon as she did, she wished she hadn't because he was still watching her.

"I mean, it's more than _nice_, but I'm not used to being drawn...or something." He scratched the back of his neck, confused. "So I can have it?" Ginny nodded, blushing again.

"Sorry for running into you again!" Ginny yelled. He turned around and smiled her way.

"As I said, the pleasure was all mine."

...ABCDEG...

"...and then he said the pleasure was all his!" Ginny gushed out to anyone that would listen during dinner. Mainly Lavender, Parvati, and Ron.

"How dare he make you fall?" Ron exclaimed. "I bet Malfoy put him up to it. You've seen how those two have gotten to be such great pals now." Parvati slapped his arm and fixed a deprived look on her face.

"It was an accident, Ron, goodness! Can't you just appreciate the wonders of budding love and romance?" Lavender spat.

"What? Budding love and rom-" Ron gripped the table's edge and leaned across to stare Ginny in the eye. "You will definitely regret it, Ginny Weasley, if you so much as talk civilly to a Slytherin. Blaise Zabini to be more specific."

"Oh?" Ginny stood up too, so that they were face to face. Harry, Hermione, Lavender and Parvati watched silently. "Or what?" She whispered and narrowed her eyes.

"I'll write to mum." Ron's tone was empty, cold, and dripping with haughtiness. A look of fear passed over Ginny's face. She slowly sat back down.

"You do that, Ronald, and I'll tell mum about your little detention escapade." She faced him, determined. Ron too took a seat.

"Yeah, and just how unusual are those? I doubt mum will even care, seeing the Order's busy with the war. But she will pay close attention if she finds out about _you_."

"Which she won't." Ginny angrily got up and went to sit down at the other end of the table with some classmates in her year.

"What's gotten into her?" Ron looked around before shrugging and going back to eating his dinner.

"What's gotten into her? Ron, you're treating her like a child!" Hermione pointed her fork at Ron accusingly.

"She is a child Hermione! She has no right to go hanging around some Slytherin scum like that." Ron slammed down his own fork and glared at Hermione. "So now you're on her side?"

Harry turned away from the bickering pair to talk to Seamus and Dean.

...ABCDEFG...

Hermione walked along an empty corridor toward Professor Dumbledore's office. She was in such deep thought, she nearly missed it. Being Head Girl, she knew that password that allowed her inside. Hermione knocked softly upon the tall and wide door and opened it immediately after Dumbledore replied.

"Why, Ms. Granger, a pleasure." He beckoned her forward so that she was in front of his large wooden desk. "What brings you here on this fine evening?" He paused upon hearing a boom of thunder from outside. He smiled. "Sit down."

Hermione took a seat in front of Dumbledore. "Professor." She addressed him. "I've met a student. A first year. He's having some trouble with Potions...mainly Snape," She paused and cleared her throat.

"Professor Snape." She corrected. Dumbledore nodded for her to go on. "And I think it would be appropriate that he received tutoring to guide him along until he grabs the concept." Not knowing what to do with her hands, she placed them neatly on her lap.

"Ms. Granger, I'm proud that you have taken attention to this matter. It is important here at Hogwarts that each of the students receive a healthy education. If Mr. Quartet is indeed struggling, I agree that he should be helped.

Hermione opened her mouth in amazement. How had Dumbledore known who Daniel was? Dumbledore's eyes glittered in secret. "You're right." She coughed lightly.

"Ms. Granger, I think that it would be suitable that _you_ tutor him."

"That's a grand idea." Hermione faked surprise.

"Well it's settled then. We will have Mr. Quartet notified." Dumbledore looked over his long fingers at her.

"Thank you professor. You've been so helpful and kind." Hermione stood up quickly and before leaving said, "Good night professor."

Hermione walked away from the gargoyles with a bounce in her step. She walked happily up to the Gryffindor common room where she found Harry playing chess with Ginny.

"Hello Hermione." Harry greeted without removing his eyes from the chessboard. Ginny looked up at Hermione and smiled. "How'd it go?"

"Dumbledore was fine with the idea." Hermione sat down next to

The distraction gave Harry enough time to snatch up a knight that could have put his king in check.

"Put that back Harry." Ginny said without looking at the game. Harry was shocked. "Peripheral vision, Harry." His mouth formed an O. Ginny turned back to the game. "Come on now, Harry." She laughed as Harry meekly placed the piece to where it had been.

"I give up trying to put anything past you." He grumbled.

"Good." Ginny patted his arm before making her next move and indeed putting Harry's king in check. He groaned audibly and made his move. Hermione took a seat and watched the game closely. She tattled on Harry every time he stole a piece from the set and placed it in his small pile.

Hermione stood up and stretched her arms. She looked at her watch which read eight o'clock and groaned. "Detention with Snape, here I come. Good night you two."

They bade her goodnight and continued on with their game. Hermione hurried to the dungeons. There was no mistaking that Snape would be upset that she was late. She rushed into the Potions classroom, breathless. In front of her stood Professor Snape and Daniel.

"Sorry I'm late, professor." She slumped against the door to catch her breath.

Snape raised an eyebrow and pursed his lips. "Make it your duty to be on time in the future, or you'll be given a few more detentions to deal with. Understood?"

Hermione nodded and stood up straight.

"That is yes sir, Ms. Granger. We might not be in class—"

"Yes sir." Hermione cut in. Daniel stood timidly off to the side glancing at Snape every so often.

"Tonight, you'll have a special detention. I supposed you've gotten the headmaster to wriggle you out of it..." He jerked his head toward Daniel before continuing. "You'll be starting your tutoring. Now get out of my sight, the both of you." Snape growled.

Once outside in the corridor, they stood for a moment before Hermione actually spoke. "Well, we should go to the library and find some books to start off. What do you think Daniel?"

Once they had settled down in the library with a few books, Hermione took over. She explained to him the basics and helped him finish his homework. An hour later, Hermione stood up and stretched. "It's after nine. I think we should get a fresh start on next Tuesday."

"Okay. Thanks Hermione, you're so smart." Daniel thanked her in awe.

"Thank you Daniel!" Hermione said obviously pleased.

"My friends call me Dan..." He gazed at the floor, blushing. Hermione didn't notice his embarrassment.

"Dan it is then." She gathered up a few heavy books and shoved them into his arms. "Read over and memorize chapters one in each of them by next week." Dan checked out the books and walked with Hermione to the Hufflepuff common room.

"Remember to read!" She reminded enthusiastically although he had not forgotten. Daniel nodded and staggered into his house common room.

It had not been a bad detention at all.

...ABCDEFG...

Five girls sat around a cauldron in the seventh year Slytherin Girls' dorm. Four of them joked and laughed as they stirred the contents and added the other ingredients.

"Shut up, do you want someone to hear?" Pansy spoke at last. They quieted their conversations for a moment before getting loud again.

"It would be just hilarious to see Granger and _Longbottom _holding hands!" Monet giggled hysterically. This sent the four girls into another fit of laughter.

"You know, Pansy... It would be a great idea." Mallory said carefully.

"I don't know... that seems like a waste. Granger is smart enough to figure this stuff out." Pansy disagreed.

"I'm all for the Longbottom thing." Gwen sniggered.

"All right. We'll see what happens. If this doesn't work, you'll be sorry, Monet Arwens."

The girls left the simmering cauldron and got into their beds. Two weeks until their plan would be engaged.

Completed April 19, 2005

_Author's Note: Hello my lovely readers. Long chapter. I hope it was an _enjoyable_ one. 18 pages... wow, I feel very good about myself. I'm sorry for not getting this chapter up sooner because I finished it ages ago. I had this huge research paper to do too. I better get a good grade on it... because I actually handed it in. _

_Tell me what you all think so far, seriously. I'm very open to suggestions for future chapters. I'll try my best to get chapter 6 out in less than a month. Haha. I wish I could say a week. I cannot type dialogue well at all. x) _

_Yep... Also, check out my C2 Community or whatever it's called. I'm looking for staff so the archive is bigger. _

_If anyone has any referrals for good fanfics, please tell me. I'm looking for something new, but I'm having a lot of trouble doing that. I've become extremely picky when it comes to Draco/Hermione. _

_Now, there are people that reviewed for chapter 4. You all have a chance in winning a date with Draco Malfoy! _

xoKaSsIeox

Fairy pwincess

Hermionemalfoy18

xOxOkIsSmYaSsXoXo

and

Kerry 

_The person that reviews first of those five listed above, a suggestion for the next chapter that gets personally picked by me wins! _

_Disclaimer: I don't own the Harry Potter novels because I'm certainly not Jo Rowling. This is sort of depressing because if it's one thing I love, it's the paparazzi. So since I don't own the books, I don't own the characters, settings, etc, etc, etc. _

_Claimer: It sort of makes me sad to think I'd need to actually do it, but some people like to use other people's ideas without permission. I made up "The Deeply and Ineffable Love Potion of Ecstasy", Helga Rae Cottonseed, and Charles Deacons, Daniel Quartet, Tabitha Limons, Mallory Kings, Monet Arwens, and Gwen Ludder. _

_Lots of love, and thanks so much for reviewing! _

_Steph- _


	6. The Nervous Arrival

**The Agreement**

_Chapter 6_

Almost two weeks had sped by quickly. It was now Wednesday; one day before Pansy's potion would be completed and until the Ministry board would be arriving at the school.

Hermione and Malfoy had not talked to each other of the agreement since Harry's broom had been stolen. Hermione still believed that Malfoy had taken it, and would not speak a word to him.

He was becoming steadily more desperate. Malfoy needed to convince Hermione soon. "Granger." He said when he came into the common room after curfew. "Isn't it past your bedtime?"

"Couldn't you just walk up to your room and stop irritating me?" She huffed, not taking her eyes from the pages of the thick book.

"Today's the 29th." Malfoy replied after taking a deep breath. He focused on not losing control and cursing her.

"I'm well aware of that. Goodnight Malfoy." Hermione got up to leave the room.

"That means the Ministry's going to be here tomorrow." His silver eyes bored into hers.

She easily stared right back at him without looking away. "Listen, Malfoy. Go find some other girl to cling to you for a few days because I'm not doing it."

Malfoy held his breath and let it out slowly. "It was official. The contract, did you forget? Break it and I'll do something bad to you and your friends."

"I'm so scared. This is coming from someone that's scared of his own friends."

"I'm not—" Malfoy clenched his fists and came closer to her. "That's not the point."

"Then don't threaten me." Hermione spat. "If you want something from someone, you need to at least treat them with respect. Because with me Malfoy, you won't get what you want with that attitude." She had come close to him so that they were only a few feet away from each other.

"I thought you were one for rules Granger. This contract," He pulled a piece of paper from his picket, "it's a rule too."

"If I do this, then I don't want you to do any more servitude. You can help me tutor Dan when I ask for it instead."

"Who?"

"Quartet. The one I tutor every week."

"You mean your Hufflepuff boyfriend? I'd rather befriend Potter and Weasel."

"I assure you, that that can be arranged because he's _not_ my boyfriend." Hermione seethed.

"I don't see why I would have to help you. You're _said_ to be the smartest witch in the school."

"Do you see? That's exactly what I mean. You can't help anyone but yourself."

Malfoy ran his thumb and forefinger up and down the edge of the contract angrily. "For how long would I have to do this if I said yes?"

"For as long as I say."

He sat down in an armchair and carefully considered the pros and cons. He came to a decision and then changed his mind six times. Finally, he decided that he did indeed need the Muggleborn's help. "Alright then."

She sat where she had been seated before. "How many more are you capable of?" She murmured while she fingered through the book to find the page she'd last read.

"How many more what?" Malfoy asked, confused.

"Civil conversations."

"Very few," He smirked at her and added, "Mudblood."

She ignored him and continued to read her book. She spoke again ten minutes later. Dan's going to be tomorrow night after the feast. You better be here." She waited for him to say something. "I'm going to bed."

"Good." He replied. Malfoy studied another piece of paper that he held in his hands.

_Fine a suitable student in the seventh year. _He crossed that out.

_Offer something in return. Yes, even if you are a Malfoy. _Slavery.

_Lay out rules. You're a Malfoy. You make them._

_Make sure to get Potty and Weasel mad. Just for the fun of it._

_Don't. Get. Caught._

He crossed out slavery and wrote _she'll be the death of me _beside it. He stared at the next sentence. "Granger!" He called to the head girl upstairs.

"What!" She yelled coming out of her room.

"I'll be making you a list of rules. They'll be on your desk here tomorrow morning. Make sure to read them."

"The ones you mentioned were already unbearable and you're telling me there are more?" He heard her reply. Satisfied, he began to write down each and everything that unexpectedly came to mind.

—

All of the students in the school sat in the Great Hall the next morning and listened to Professor McGonagall's important announcement.

"As you know, today is the arrival date of the Ministry's school board. I expect all of you to treat our visitors with respect. Anyone that does not obey the rules will be punished. I would appreciate all of the students outside of the school at six o'clock sharp. This will be just like three years ago when the other school champions came to Hogwarts." She cleared her throat and paused before continuing.

"For those of you that are younger, you will receive instruction in your first class this morning. There will also be a welcoming feast following the arrival. If anyone has any questions, I request that they see Professor Dumbledore or myself as soon as possible. Remember, the staff members here at Hogwarts expect good behavior. From all of you."

Professor McGonagall sat and took a deep breath before returning to her breakfast. There was an excited buzz around the hall now. Ginny was giggling with Lavender about Blaise again. Ron had just given her a menacing look and told her to lay off whenever she brought up the subject, but didn't say anything else other than that.

"This is exciting." Neville said to Hermione, making polite conversation.

"I guess..." Hermione bit her lip in anticipation. Tonight would be her first night posing as Malfoy's girlfriend. He had left a small stack of parchment with over one hundred well descriptive rules and they left her nervous.

"Cheer up, Hermione. It'll be over before you know it." Ginny assured her. Harry nodded and patted her arm awkwardly.

"Yeah, Hermione. What's the worst that could happen?" Harry and Ron of course did not know about the agreement, and they thought Hermione was worried about making a good impression as head girl.

Ron sent Hermione a bland look and his look alone said it all. _Anything._

—

Draco Malfoy sat on the other side of the Great Hall daintily eating his food. He was nervous; more so than Hermione would ever be. What if his plan didn't work? What is this with doubting himself these days? He needed to stop that.

So there Malfoy sat at the Slytherin table in between Crabbe and Goyle. Unfortunately, there was not room for Malfoy to even put his arms in his lap. He looked like a puny stick figure compared to the overweight blobs on either side of him.

"Move over." Malfoy finally was able to wipe his mouth with the napkin that had sat on his lap.

Crabbe glared at him sullenly as he sucked on the peels of his apple. Malfoy had reduced his cronies' unhealthy diet for a healthy one. He insisted he couldn't have his men walking around in his presence in such an obese manner.

"Let us have something more to eat, Draco. We're still hungry." Goyle complained. He watched Malfoy eat the pancakes, eggs, and fried potatoes on his plate with jealously.

Malfoy slammed down his fork which he had just picked up. "No. I've told you time and time again. You'll kill yourselves before you could even join the Dark Lord's ranks. Now shut up and let me enjoy my meal." Goyle searched for something to say, but nothing came from his thick pink lips.

"Oh, don't be a pushover Malfoy." Pansy Parkinson said as she sat down across from the platinum blonde.

"Don't get into my business, Pansy or I'll put _you_ on a diet. Merlin knows you need to go on one yourself." He snapped back.

Pansy's mouth opened and closed a few times. "Did you just call me fat?" Her face twisted into a sneer.

Malfoy ignored Pansy and her numerous threats throughout the rest breakfast. Once they had reached the Potions classroom, he'd had enough. "Just close your mouth. You were asking for it." He spat airily.

"So you were joking?" Pansy asked hopefully.

Malfoy shrugged carelessly and sat down on the Slytherin side of the classroom. A Few minutes later, Blaise took a seat next to him. "Draco, why do you always have to be so mean to her?"

"She's annoying and I wanted her to close her mouth."

"It didn't shut her up though." Blaise replied with a smug smirk. Snape walked hastily into the room—something uncharacteristic for him to do.

"You'll be taking notes today. Get out a quill and start copying the ingredients on the board. They'll self-scroll." Snape hurried into his office behind the classroom and locked it.

"Oy, free period!" Ron was saying excitedly to Hermione and Harry. Hermione did not reply due to the fact that she was already copying the notes. Harry and Ron exchanged a high five before sighing and following Hermione's lead.

Malfoy shook his head, disgusted.

Pansy and her mates pulled a bench to one desk and grouped around it. "It'll only be a few hours now!" Monet cheered quietly.

Pansy beamed. "We'll put the potion in their drinks tomorrow morning."

"Either way, I can't wait. I won't be able to sleep a wink tonight." Tabitha clapped her hands.

Just then, Snape slid swiftly back in the room, this time in a more snakelike manner that suited him quite well. "Did I not say to copy the notes on the board? Get to work! Malfoy, I want to see you outside immediately.

Malfoy looked up in surprise. No first name? Was he in trouble already? He regained his posture and set a smirk on his pointed face. He caught Hermione's happy face and wondered what her problem was. She'd been nervous and upset only half an hour ago.

Malfoy moved outside the classroom, followed by the potion's master. "Draco..." Snape drawled, shutting the door. Malfoy's smirk widened. He wasn't really in trouble after all. "It has come to my attention that you cut detention two weeks ago. I of course was busy with matter of my mind and didn't notice. Did it slip _your_ mind by any chance?"

Malfoy looked uneasily into Professor Snape's cold black eyes. "D-detention? I forgot."

"Apparently you did. You will serve it tonight."

"But, sir! My mum's coming tonight with the board. I can't have a detention tonight."

"A week from today, Draco. At eight o'clock. If you're not there, I'll come find you myself." Snape swept back into the classroom and pulled Malfoy along with him. "Sit down."

Malfoy sent Granger a look. He knew why she had been so happy. Granger had told on him. He would get her back tonight. He marked his words and sat down and copied the notes on the blackboard. By then he'd already missed a lot, so he copied down Blaise's.

"I heard Granger tell Snape on you." Blaise told Malfoy carefully.

"It was obvious the way she was looking at me like that."

"What'd Snape say?"

"I still have my detention next week." grumbled Malfoy.

"Well, it's only one detention. The worst Snape's ever made you do is sit there grading papers."

Malfoy shrugged. "I could make better use of my time. Maybe I can get out of it."

"How?"

"I agreed to help Granger tutor the little prick."

"I didn't know you _wiked_ kids." Blaise patted his friend's arm and spoke with a faux-lisp.

"I don't."

"Yes you do. Malfoy has taken a _wiking_ to _wittle_ kiddies." Blaise smirked.

"Quiet, Blaise."

His friend shrugged and returned to copying notes. The rest of the period went by too slowly for any of the students to bear. By the end of class, Hermione was the only one still copying off the board. Snape had been gone for most of the period doing who knows what. No one had the guts to ask.

The bell rang and the students left the classroom in a rush. Hermione stayed behind to pack up her many books. Pansy had kicked her bag and they'd fallen out. "Shouldn't you be running off to class to make sure you get a seat in the front?" Malfoy walked over to Hermione's desk and gave it a kick before leaving the room.

Hermione shook her head and followed behind him.

—

She walked down to Hagrid's hut alone. She had not been able to find Harry and Ron after her previous class. She spotted a messy black haired head next to a red head and walked up behind them. "Where have you guys been? I was waiting for you in the Entrance Hall forever."

Both boys whipped around to face the frizzy haired Hermione. "We decided to head down when we didn't see you. Sorry Hermione." Harry apologized.

Hermione shrugged and peered over there shoulders. "This is the last day for unicorns."

Hagrid's Care of Magical Creatures class had become successful over the last two weeks. The seventh years were soon going to finish their unit on unicorns and then move onto kneazles. Not even Malfoy could find something to complain about.

Of course there were still the many snide and sarcastic comments that left the Slytherin's mouth but no one expected that to change. "Just look at it." Malfoy was saying as he stood behind the girls with the other males in the class. "They're not even that nice looking. The only thing worth money is the horn. Father's got a head mounted on his wall in his study back at the Manor." He bragged.

"His father only has it because Voldemort finished drinking its blood and he had no other use for it." Harry muttered to Ron a little louder than he meant.

"Is that so Potter?" Malfoy turned to look at Harry slowly. "Are you calling my father a death eater? My mother happened to buy it for him last year for Christmas. By the way, found that broom of yours yet?" Malfoy face was lacking a taunting smirk.

"We've been through this before Malfoy. I know your dad's a death eater. He's just another one of Voldemort's servants." Harry spat.

"Don't you talk about his father that way again! He wasn't even talking to you."

Blaise gave Harry a tormenting shove. His father was also a death eater and he took offense.

"Who was he talking to then, Blaise?" Goyle asked, grinning maliciously.

"No dinner for you Goyle!" Malfoy stated calmly.

"Aw, Draco there's a feast tonight!"

Ron took this time as a chance to push Malfoy. "And don't _you_ let your little friends push him!" Ron pushed Malfoy again into Crabbe's side.

Malfoy stood up straight. "Weasel! Don't touch me. It's just like you to go around Muggle dueling. You and the Mudblood are getting close, huh? What else has she taught you?"

"Ignore him Ron. He's always going around looking for someone to fight with." Seamus clamped Ron on the shoulder.

"Excuse me, Finnigan? I'll have you know it was Potter—"

"Boys! Break it up, righ' now!" Hagrid finally took noticed that Ron and Malfoy had engaged in a push and shove fight. He thumped over to where the two boys were fighting and pulled them apart. Hagrid looked at both of them before saying, "I've just about had it with the way you two have been fightin' all the time. Interruptin' my lessons! Do yeh want detentions? I'll make the both of yeh clean out those pens durin' the feast tonight if yeh want."

Harry and Ron shook their heads. "Sorry Hagrid." Ron mumbled ashamedly.

"Will you get off me? These are the robes I'm wearing to the feast tonight!" Malfoy sniffed arrogantly and brushed off his robes as he was put back down on the ground.

"Malfoy, I want yeh to stay away from Ron, yeh hear?"

Malfoy rolled his eyes and sneered, "Whatever." He walked back to where Blaise was standing and glared up at Hagrid. The half giant nodded gruffly before going back to where the girls were standing.

"Now you have to change." Blaise said loudly to Malfoy.

"Why's that?"

"You smell like an animal." Blaise's lips curled.

Harry, Ron, and the rest of the Gryffindor boys got a kick out of the mortified face Malfoy made.

Ron stepped forward. "And it's unfortunate, but no. Harry has yet to find his broom. Thanks for asking Malfoy."

—

The Golden Trio walked together up to the school after class. "I think you were both being childish. Like Malfoy said, he wasn't even talking to you." Hermione told them after they had mentioned the spat with Malfoy.

"So now you're on his side!" Ron cried with disbelief. Hermione hit him lightly on the arm.

"No, of course I'm not! I just think the whole thing was silly. Hagrid was going to give you both a detention." Hermione said in a voice that was full of mock horror.

"Hagrid would never give me a detention. Maybe Malfoy, but not me." Ron's slightly raised his voice.

"Hmm." Hermione rolled her eyes at Harry who smiled. They walked into the school and up to the Gryffindor common room together where they took their favorite seats in front of the hearth.

"Big feast coming up." Ron announced excitedly, breaking the silence. He rubbed his hands together and licked his lips. "Aren't you both earnest for it?" He asked when neither of his friends said anything.

Hermione pursed her lips. "I'm getting mental images of you eating. It's disturbing."

"I'm only enjoying my food!" Ron defended himself.

"You missed the part when your mother taught manners..." Harry teased.

"Manners on what?" Ginny came into the common room and shrugged her bag off her shoulder. She sat down next to Harry on the floor.

"On how to eat like a gentleman." Harry answered.

"Oh, Ron might have been sick the time Fred and George got in trouble for starting a food fight..." Ginny looked up at her older brother through her lashes. "I'm surprised you didn't learn anything."

"I've never started a food fight in my life!" Ron replied.

"Oh, I know. But mum sent off the two of them to a neighbor's to borrow books on etiquette.

"This has nothing to do with me, Ginny!" Ron shut her up.

"I was only saying..."

"Want to play a game of chess, Harry?" Ron asked, ignoring Ginny.

"Well, I've got to go get ready. I'll meet you guys here later. We can walk down together." Hermione had watched Ron beat Harry six times, and she was on the way to falling asleep from boredom.

Ginny stood up too. "I'll come with you." She said gaily.

"That's fine. Bye Harry, see you Ron." Hermione waved. The girls walked out of the common room and left the boys to their seventh game, Ron of course was in the lead.

"So what are you wearing to the feast?" Ginny questioned as she bounced along Hermione's side.

Hermione looked at her like she was crazy. "My school robes. It's not like it's a ball or something."

Ginny returned the look. "You're head girl! You'll have to meet with them anyway you know. Don't you want to impress them?" She had hit Hermione and she knew it. When it came to impressing, she went as far as she could.

"You're right. But I don't know what I have to wear."

"We can look in your closet." Ginny suggested as they walked into the common room together.

"I doubt there's anything in there." It was not Hermione that said it, but Malfoy. The girls jumped in fright and turned around. They had not noticed him sitting at a desk doing homework while Blaise read a book in an armchair. "Look how plain she dresses."

"Shut your mouth." Ginny took her wand out. "Remember the bats, Malfoy?" The Slytherin's mouth opened and closed. "I thought so."

"Hi Ginny." Blaise looked up sharply from his book.

"Hello." Ginny whispered back.

Malfoy and Hermione's eyes widened at the same time. "What's this?" They said in unison. They glared at each other and looked away.

"Since when are we on a first name basis with a Weasley?" Malfoy asked, annoyed.

"When did this happen?" Hermione asked at the same time.

"...While your nose was stuck in some reeking old book." Malfoy snorted at his own joke. Hermione sent Malfoy her most exasperating expression without saying anything.

"Since when do you make the decisions for the both of us?" Blaise questioned with a freezing glare. Malfoy opened his mouth then closed it and settled for a thin, straight line.

"Well, excuse me. I'm not in the mood for another one of your soap operas." Hermione rolled her eyes and went up the stairs, ignoring the questioning looks she was receiving from the other three.

Malfoy followed. On the last step, he pushed her over and locked himself in her room. She banged on the door. "Let me in! Get out Malfoy!"

Malfoy tiptoed to the closet and quietly swung open the door. He removed the broom and looked around, wondering where to put it.

He bit his tongue in concentration and his eyes set on the window next to Hermione's bed. He flung it up and looked down. Just like his bedroom windows, there was sill underneath the window. He reached down and set the Firebolt on top of the wilting flowers. Then he shut the window without a sound and unlocked the door to Hermione's room.

"Wrong room!" She heaved the door open and pointed for Malfoy to get out.

He held up his hands and before walking out said, "Wear something nice tonight, Granger. And don't smell like a stinking book either. My mother is hard to impress." He walked calmly back downstairs and found Ginny and Blaise in the same spot he'd left them in.

"So, has the Weasel given you both his blessing?" Malfoy smirked.

"We're just friends, Malfoy." Ginny growled. She brushed past him, and ran upstairs into Hermione's room.

"Why do you have to be jealous?" Blaise asked, staring intently at his friend.

"Of what?" The blonde egotist took his seat at the desk he'd been sitting at earlier.

"Of Ginny and I."

"What's there to be jealous of? You're both just fooling around with yourselves. You actually think the Weasel's going to let her date you?" Malfoy laughed a hearty laugh. "Actually, the parents will probably get the Order together to kill your family. Wouldn't that be fun to see?"

Blaise threw the book he had been reading at Malfoy's head, and with perfect aim, it hit him in the forehead.

"I was only joking!"

"I don't want to talk about it anymore."

"Okay, fine but when she puts that hex on you, don't come crying to me."

"Why would I? You weren't even able to get rid of it yourself."

Malfoy purposely ignored him and started scribbling rapidly across a piece paper.

—

"You're right, Hermione. You don't have anything that nice to wear."

Hermione sighed. "I'll just wear a school robe then."

"Alright. Let me brush your hair now." Ginny had quite a lot of trouble completing this task. When she was finished, Hermione's hair was, if possible, bushier than before. "I'll just put it up." Ginny tied Hermione's hair with a ribbon. "Now, you're all set. Can I just put some makeup on for a finishing touch?"

"No!" Hermione jumped up and covered her face. "It's not a problem. I think I look fine. Thanks Ginny. Hermione changed out of her school robes and put on another above her school uniform.

"Can I put on this perfume then?" Before Hermione could answer, the redhead had sprayed Hermione in an expensive Muggle perfume that she had found in Hermione's bureau.

"Ugh." Hermione groaned. Perfume made her sneeze when it was just sprayed.

"It smells okay." Ginny shrugged and threw the bottle on Hermione's bed.

"We've got fifteen minutes. Just enough time to make sure the boys are both ready." Hermione figured, look at her watch.

"See you down there, I guess." Hermione said to Malfoy before leaving.

He continued writing whatever it was he was writing. "I hope those rules of mine are well memorized, Granger."

The portrait door slammed shut behind her. "Bye Blaise." Ginny squeaked, and she ran out after Hermione.

"Wait up!" Ginny called after her friend.

Hermione stopped long enough for Ginny to catch up. "Blaise is so sweet." Ginny giggled like a silly little girl and fell in step with Hermione.

"Gee, Hermione, what's that awful smell?" Ron asked when she and Ginny approached Ron and Harry.

Hermione shook her head slowly back and forth and answered in the same slow rhythm of her head, "Ginny found some perfume."

"It doesn't smell that bad." Harry grinned sheepishly at Hermione.

"Thanks Harry." Hermione stuck her tongue out at Ron. "Now let's go. I want to be early."

The four of them walked down to the entrance hall talking animatedly. Hermione could not stop babbling for she was nervous times a billion. Harry and Ron noticed her nervousness and stopped her.

"Calm down, Hermione." Ron patted her back awkwardly. "The board won't be able to not like the head girl."

Hermione smiled at him thankfully, which was a good sign. They meandered, one after the other down the stairs into the hall where some of the younger students were still milling around.

"Miss. Granger, come here please!" Professor McGonagall was among the students, looking extremely flustered. Hermione bid her friends goodbye and then approached the beckoning teacher.

"Yes?" She put on her best good girl face and shifted her weight from one foot to the other.

Professor McGonagall put a hand on her hips and stopped glancing around the hall as if she was looking for someone. "Where is Malfoy?" She stressed the _where_ heavily.

Hermione shrugged. "He was in the common room last time I was aware...why?"

"He's supposed to be here, helping you and I get the first years line up! Good heavens, only an hour to go until scheduled arrival!" McGonagall started to walk away. "Johnson, what did I say? Get away from the doors! Mr. Filch just finished polishing them, and I don't need to see finger prints at the moment! Billson, that means you _too!_

"Well, what am I supposed to do?" Hermione called helplessly after her.

"I don't care! Find him!"

Hermione swung around and stomped forward, only to run straight into Daniel Quartet. "Dan! Hi. Got to run, see you later." Hermione made to get past the first year but he grabbed her arm.

"What?" Hermione smiled in a friendly manner.

Daniel realized he was still holding onto her arm and let go quickly. "N-nothing. See you later." He shoved his hands into his pockets and walked away, blushing.

"Right then. Malfoy, where's Malfoy." She grinded her teeth as she headed toward the stairs. "I'm going to kill him."

She swept her eyes across the entrance hall and saw Draco and some other Slytherins come from down in the dungeons. "How did he get there so fast? Oh, I despise him." Hermione marched toward him and peered wearily up at him.

"Well, if it isn't Hermione Granger? You've seemingly attempted at the hair..." Theodore Nott teased on Malfoy's right.

"You got rid of the book smell! Well done." Malfoy clapped his hands and spoke in a scandalizing tone.

"Poke fun later, Malfoy, we have to get the students lined up. McGonagall's a poor mess."

"Isn't this a job for Potter? Play hero and get the school lined up in time. Sounds like a job for him, not me." Malfoy started to lead his Slytherin gang away, but Granger stepped in his path.

"It's going to be a job for you if you still want me to do mine." She jabbed a finger into his chest and stood up full height. "Got it?"

Malfoy laughed, and looked at the shorter girl. "Got it. You go round up the little brats—I know your boyfriend's one of them—and I'll wait by the door."

"Ha. Your pals can go wait in the Great Hall. We're calling down the students in order." She had noticed that Nott and the other four were easing their way outside.

"Down to where?" Malfoy shook off his friends and walked with Hermione.

"Here." Hermione still marched off and clapped her hands. "All Gryffindor first years, line up in back of me! Now, I want the Hufflepuffs after them, and then Ravenclaws and Slytherins. You're next." She stood patiently, tapping her foot. When all of the first years in the school had lined up she turned around and said, "Follow me!"

"I'm not about to follow any mudblood." A blonde Slytherin boy in the back of the line announced. Hermione did a double take. He looked extraordinarily like Malfoy back when he was eleven.

"That's fine," Hermione smiled, "You can just stay in the Great Hall and set the tables." The Slytherin did not complain again. When Hermione turned around, she caught Malfoy giving his housemate a proud smirk

She ignored him and filed outside with the children behind her. Once outside, Malfoy set them up in one line, but in an order Hermione had made before. He stayed outside while Hermione went back into the school to retrieve the second years that were now waiting to be taken outside. Twice Professor McGonagall thanked Hermione. She was obviously still annoyed at Malfoy and didn't say a word to him.

The entire school including the staff was outside. All was noisy from the excited students talking. The echo around the school was easily heard. Filch was holding Mrs. Norris off to the side, glaring at the ground. How he hated these school gatherings.

Hermione and Malfoy stood near to the front with Professor Dumbledore and McGonagall. They kept up a stomp on the other's foot game which earned them a hard look from the deputy headmistress. Malfoy was trying to get the Muggle born to hold his hands which she would not agree to.

"Your mum's not even here yet." Hermione whispered angrily when he kicked her shoe yet again.

"Don't be so sure." Malfoy muttered, grabbing her arm.

Professor McGonagall turned around. "Shut your mouths, the both of you! They're here."

Hermione's head shot up and she saw two carriages coming towards the school on the path. There were several exclamations of "Look, look!" coming from the younger students. The older ones shushed them in ample time.

The thestrals pulling the carriages remained invisible to most of the students, but people such as Harry saw them. Six people stepped out of each of the carriage and made their way toward a smiling Dumbledore. The last person to come out of the first carriage was identified as Narcissa Malfoy. Hermione remembered her from the Quidditch World Cup.

"That's her." Malfoy breathed. Hermione snorted in an unladylike fashion. She was still the ugly upturned nosed pig she remembered. He was being too out of character for her liking. She wrenched her arm away from the mother's boy in hatred. "Don't touch me."

He grabbed her hand again and held on tightly with a bright smile frozen on his face. The blonde woman made her way forth with the rest of the group. She smiled brightly at her son, who returned it with a more dazzling one. She noticed he was holding the hand of a girl so she turned to look at the owner of the hand. She looked Hermione up and down before returning her attention to Dumbledore.

Malfoy looked down at Hermione and rolled his eyes. Her face was bright red with uneasiness. "Welcome to Hogwarts. I hope your stay here is pleasant. The house elves that employ here have cooked us a wonderful feast. As soon as you're in the school, our head girl, Hermione and head boy Draco Malfoy will direct you to where you'll be staying. Wash up and get yourself situated and make your way down to the Great Hall for a pleasant welcoming meal." Dumbledore's eyes twinkled happily. "If you have any problems while here at Hogwarts, I assure you that the deputy headmistress and I will be more than happy to help." The board committee nodded with contempt. A balding man held up a check board and wrote down a few words. "Now, the school's going to sing the Hogwarts Anthem."

Dumbledore turned around and faced the waves of the student body. He held up his hands and they opened their mouths, ready to sing. Malfoy dropped Hermione's hand and sang as well. At the end of the song, the seventh years began to move back into the school, followed by the rest of their schoolmates.

Dumbledore gestured ahead to let the school board pass them. Malfoy's mother gripped her son's arm gently when she swept past. She smiled slightly when she caught Hermione's eye. Malfoy sent the Gryffindor a stiff, reassuring nod.

It took a bit of time just getting into the school, for there were only two doors, and the students were shoving their way through to get to the Great Hall. Malfoy had yet again grabbed her hand. She snatched it back and eyed the committee with dislike.

"What's the matter, Granger? I'm just warming up. " His warm breath tickled her ear, and she shuddered away. He led her up to the school behind all of the other students where they found their guests waiting for Malfoy and Hermione to show them to their rooms.

—

Hermione leaned against the stone wall with tiredness. So far, she was doing quite well. Narcissa Malfoy had not exactly warmed up to her yet, but within given time, she was sure she would fall for her charms. Maybe she'd have a conversation with Malfoy's mother about school and what she thought about the curriculum at Hogwarts. Narcissa was on the school board after all.

Malfoy appeared from behind the portrait opposite her. He was slightly pink with embarrassment. From the time they had met the committee in the great hall to the time that the heads spent showing them to their dormitory, Narcissa had fawned over her only son.

"Mummy's boy." Hermione tittered gaily.

Malfoy folded his arms across his chest and growled, "You're just jealous."

Hermione laughed and straightened up her figure. "Have I mentioned that—"

"Don't insult my mother, Mudblood. I've got loads to say about your parents."

Hermione rubbed her forehead. "I was just going to say that your nose is still slightly larger than it used to be."

Malfoy gave her a skeptical glare and opened his mouth to say something but his mother beat him to it. He rubbed the bridge of his node and shut his mouth. She slammed the portrait door closed behind her and rolled her eyes. "Oh, that stupid fat women. I've told her time and time again. I called the bed nearest the window! Wait until your father hears."

Hermione choked back laughter. Now she knew where Malfoy got his arrogant attitude. Narcissa took Hermione's cough as a gasp. She smiled coldly at her. "Yes, I know. Just look at my pale skin. I have not colored since..." Her voice trailed off. Malfoy looked sharply at his mother. They shared a telepath like exchange that seemed to warn the other. They glanced at Hermione in alarm.

The Gryffindor narrowed her eyes. Narcissa beckoned her closer. "So Hermione, tell me more about yourself. Draco hasn't really given any dirty details." Malfoy slid behind his mother and held up the contract which Hermione guessed he kept at hand—or in his pockets—at all times. Hermione gazed into Narcissa's cold eyes and noticed a greater resemblance between her and her son. Her eyes were like pools of melted ice, but they swirled with the blue-green of the sea. Her face was pointed, and Hermione noticed a cleft in her chin that her son did not have.

"So have you snogged yet?" Narcissa giggled then straightened herself up again. Behind his mother's back, Malfoy pretended to regurgitate. Hermione herself giggled nervously, an act to hide the dislike written across her face. Malfoy had straightened up and he was nodding.

Hermione too, nodded. She smiled and clasped her hands behind her back. Mrs. Malfoy returned the smile, but it did not nearly do the job of reaching her eyes. Turning around she said, "Draco, be a doll and get those fools immediately. I hate to keep that Muggle loving pansy waiting." Hermione contained a protest about Narcissa criticizing Dumbledore. This was harder than she'd thought it would be.

Narcissa turned back around and faced Hermione again. "You're nothing like Pansy Parkinson. She's not beautiful but she's prettier than you. You should wear some makeup... and do something with that hair. Now, what is that horrible smell? Some cheap perfume, I assume?" Narcissa bluntly spoke to Hermione in an airy tone. Hermione doubted she'd ever been more insulted in her life in one standing. Unlike Malfoy's slightly disturbing taunting, she could definitely compare the feeling of the tingling in her nose now to the twisting of her face when Malfoy was being an uneven git.

Hermione turned somewhat red. She slowly put her thoughts into words. "I happen to be allergic to makeup, but thank you for your concern Mrs. Malfoy." She tried to blink away the tears that had gathered in her eyes.

"That's too bad." She replied, in a not so caring voice. "As you must well know, my son is handsome, highly intelligent, and kind." Hermione listened to Narcissa drone on about her stupid son. When Hermione got her hands on him later... she would kill him.

The portrait door opened slowly and out walked Malfoy and the eleven other committee members. Malfoy crept unwillingly over to Hermione and stood by her side. He waited until the board was in front of them before he set out walking. He grabbed her arm and pulled her along.

"It's just how I remember it thirty-five years ago." An overweight witch said from the group. There were murmurs of agreement.

"Let go, Malfoy." Hermione tried to make her voice sound low and defensive. Instead it cracked and came out high and whiney.

Gladly, he dropped her arm and continued to walk with her. "What'd she say?"

"What do you mean?"

"Don't play foolish with me Granger. You're crying in front of _me_. What did she say? Plus she always puts down my girlfriends when I'm out of ear shot when she's first meeting them." He repeated.

"Nothing you haven't said before." Hermione whipped away the tears from her eyes and sighed. "I wish I never agreed to this." She whispered.

Somehow, Malfoy felt it was his fault. He loved to see the girl in a caught up moment. He felt destined to make fun of her for being a wimp but he knew his mother had said something harsh if it made her cry, so he left her alone.

They went their separate ways once in they reached the Great Hall. The staff had set extra chairs at their staff table so the committee would dine with them. Hermione took a seat in between Harry and Ginny.

"So?" Ginny turned to her as soon as her head hit the table tiredly. Up front, Dumbledore was giving another speech. Hermione tuned him out, something she hardly ever did and focused on the wood of the table.

"I don't..." Seeing Ginny's eager face, Hermione decided to just tell her what Narcissa had said to her.

"She said that to your face?" Ginny whispered loudly. "How horrible!"

"I'm not going to worry about it. She'll be gone in a week and then I won't have to sustain from killing Malfoy any longer." Hermione's sadness had changed to anger. She clenched and unclenched her fists.

"Ouch, violent tendencies." Ron guffawed.

"Look, Hermione, the feast has begun. Just enjoy it, okay?" Hermione looked up and in fact, there was food in bowls, and on plates strewn all across the table neatly. Ginny patted Hermione's shoulder before heaping a spoonful of mashed potatoes onto her plate.

Hermione gladly took this as an excuse to stop talking. She picked up her fork and shoved picked at the fluffy mashed potatoes before eating it. "This is good stuff." She said, finishing her third helping of meatloaf.

"You bet it is." Ron agreed before he shoved yet another spoonful of rice pudding into his mouth. Harry was eating all he could, quickly too. It looked as if he was trying to win a race.

"Slow down Harry. You'll choke on your food." Ginny warned with a wary glance.

"Stop acting like mum." Ron rolled his eyes and whipped his mouth with the back of his hand.

"Someone has to." Ginny stressed.

"Uh huh." Ron said without any effort of a fight.

—

Pansy and her crew easily escaped the feast without getting caught. Even Filch was enjoying his meal. Or he was just drowned within his ego. Dumbledore had made sure that the caretaker was given a seat at the staff table, and from the looks of it, Filch was happy. He had not stopped smirking since the moment he had began shoving food into his mouth with surprisingly good manners.

"Where are we going Pansy?" Monet asked out of pure curiosity.

"What are you, stupid? You silly girl, do you want to drown in that potion?" Gwen slapped the back of Monet's head. "We've got to take the cauldron off."

"Merlin, you're both morons." Pansy sighed in mock defeat.

The potion was indeed ready when the girls arrived at their dormitory, and it seemed like it had been for a few hours due to the fact that it was boiling uncontrollably. Pansy snapped her fingers and Tabitha turned off the fire while Monet retrieved a flask from her trunk.

"Wait for it to cool before you touch it." Mallory warned in a singsong voice. Monet had just reached toward the cauldron with the hot liquid. She pulled back at Mallory's wariness and handed the glass bottle to Pansy.

"So how is this going to work?" Monet asked Pansy.

"What? Am I supposed to know?"

"Well—"

"I have an idea. It'll probably work. We'll ask Draco to give it to her!" Gwen clapped her hands in delight.

"No, he is not getting involved." Pansy stated firmly.

"Really, Gwendolyn. You should know by not that every plan that Draco has put against Potter and his friends has been foiled." Mallory, the sensible one, sat down on her bed and rolled over so that she was on her stomach.

"Sort of like Potter and the Dark Lord." Monet replied.

"Don't you insult dare him! He could be listening..." Pansy shushed the girls and they all took a frightening look around the room, as if to see Lord Voldemort sitting in the air watching them with his wand at the ready to kill.

"But no, I call all the plans." Pansy said with dignity. "Like I mentioned earlier; we're going to wake up tomorrow morning and pour the potion into a pitcher of coffee and then she will drink it! I'm so smart—"

"Oh, don't get carried away now." Tabitha, the only one who thought she was better than Pansy spoke out.

"What? What's that supposed to mean?" Pansy placed her hands on her hips. "So, anyway, we'll just put it in the pitcher. It's all sought out, not too difficult."

"But Pansy, what if Hermione does not drink coffee tomorrow morning?" Mallory motioned for Pansy to put some of the potion into the flask she still held. "It's room temperature."

As Pansy spooned the silver substance into the glass she answered with hope and bossiness in her voice. "Then get set on Plan B."

"What's that?" Tabitha asked.

"I have no idea."

* * *

_Author's Note: The long awaited chapter 6. How long did I take, God? I should be ashamed. Yeah... so... No one won the date with Malfoy, which means poor Steph had to think up this whole thing. Obviously, I had a lot of trouble; A really hard time trying to get the idea from my head to paper to the computer. That explains how shaky the whole chapter is. I tried rewriting the whole thing at least three times. My first attempt was 24 pages long, but then I realized I was rambling and you guys would be asleep before you got to the review button. _

_Anyways, I'm out of school for the summer, and of course I'm still busy but I'll be able to update a lot sooner. I'll try to get Chap. 7 up by next week. Ha. I'm definitely not making promises. Hey... I just turned seventeen on the fourteenth. Hehe. Super. _

_Disclaimer: Yeah, Harry Potter's definitely mine. Hee. No, it's not. God, why must I even put myself to sleep with these thingies? Of course you know my name's not Rowling._

Review, pleasies?


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